Of Treasure Maps and Steel Eagles
by Dark Horse Writer
Summary: All seems pretty plain when Ben, Abigail, and Riley go to New York City because Abigail is giving a lecture at NYU. Of course, there is a certain shop owner  and sorcerer  who misplaces one book that holds a terrible, yet amazing secret. Complete!
1. Riley's fears and the black book

**AN: So here it is my **_**National Treasure**_** and**_** The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_** crossover. This is going to be very interesting, and I am having a lot of fun writing it. Please review and I appreciate the feedback a lot! Thank you to ****Fluffyblackcloud**** for the wonderful beta-reading and help! I originally wanted to post this earlier, but sometimes life is like that. Please review I would like to know your honest opinion and even though I believe the pacing is good in this story and I would like to know what the readers think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**National Treasure**_** or **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_** Disney does and so does Jerry Bruckheimer! I do however own any original characters. **

**Of Treasure Maps and Steel Eagles**

**Chapter One: Riley's fears and the black book**

_Washington D.C – December 3, 2010_

_**Riley's POV**_

Riley stood there, chilled to the bone. He looked at his friend and fellow treasure hunter, Ben Gates. Why, oh, why did he have to bring up those three letters? He thought that once he went to Georgetown that he would leave all those memories in the past, where they belonged and stayed.

_**Benjamin Gates' POV**_

"What did you say Ben?"

Benjamin Gates looked at his friend and fellow treasure hunter, Riley Poole. The younger man went pale white and looked…

Well, he looked like he didn't want to talk. He could see his hands clenching and unclenching, which was strange. Ever since he metRiley he was sarcastic and always had to get the last word. He never saw him so quiet and at loss for something to say. He didn't think Riley would take this information in this manner. It wasn't like he wanted him to do anything dangerous, like trying to find a treasure nobody believed existed.

"What? It's not like we are standing on an uneven piece of stone or anything. We are going to New York City because Abigail got an invitation to speak at NYU as a guest lecturer, and I happened to been invited to speak as well on American history. I thought you would be happy, maybe even stop by Dylan's Candy Bar or stride down Broadway or something. You know the usual touristy stuff that I never do." Ben watched his friend's reaction. He saw that Riley stopped clenching his fists and a little bit of color came back into his face.

In all his time knowing the computer nerd that is Riley Poole, Benjamin Gates never saw Riley get so scared over one little destination. They were planning on going to the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, where some people thought magic happened for dreamers and lovers. He thought Riley would be excited. Maybe take him on the Circle Line tour or something and go to the top of the Statue of Liberty. At least hit up the history museums while they were there.

"Why you want me to come?"

Ben really wanted to know why Riley was being so stubborn about this whole trip. He thought his friend would be happy that for once he was doing something totally unrelated to treasure hunting. After all, Ben thought this would be a good chance for Riley to pine after a woman, which his friend seems to do quite often. Though, from the looks of his friend, he wasn't so sure about this idea anymore. He watched asRiley strode over to the other side of the living room and picked up his blue jacket.

Riley looked up at Ben and said, "Sorry. I guess it's just that New York City holds a lot of bad memories and all. I used to live there you know. I didn't always live in D.C where you picked me up from that cubicle one day. New York used to be my home until my dad deserted me by sending me away to boarding school up in Vermont. I don't think he even loved me," he said, the last part coming out in a whisper. Ben stood there quietly realizing that he had heard the reason as to why his friend didn't want to go to New York City.

The city of dreams was a place that Riley never wanted to go back to because of a tough childhood. From what he could decipher there was a father who didn't want his son and his mother...? He didn't know, at least not right now. Not to say that his childhood was perfect either with his parents fighting, but his mother loved him. His father... well, they butted heads on a lot of things (mainly anything connecting with the Templar treasure). But now their relationship was a bit better.

"Riley… I didn't realize. Maybe we could make some new memories or something. Who knows, maybe we will have our own adventure in the Big Apple?" Ben saw that slowly a sad smile appeared on Riley's face.

"I guess I could go… as long as I get a large lollipop from Dylan's or a cold-hot chocolate at _Serendipity's_." (AN: _Serendipity's_ is an ice cream parlor in New York City). Ben shook his head. He was worried for a second there. What he didn't tell Riley was that he had something up his sleeve besides what seemed like an innocent trip as a guest lecturer to a university. It isn't always that simple being a famed treasure hunter.

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_New York City December 3, 2010…_

_**Balthazar's POV**_

Balthazar Blake stood in what used to be a cellular phone store and an antique store. Now, though**,** it was his shop, _The Arcana Cabana II_ and he was going through all the objects that were put into storage that he was able to get back after the battle of Battery Park. Most of his former antiquities and items were found and returned.

He also had books here that had been in storage as well. He was going through the last box of books. His apprentice, Dave Stutler, was out with his girlfriend Becky meaning that his apprentice was going to come to practice late, yet again. Balthazar sighed, he thought about making Dave learn the importance of being prompt and on time, but to his left he saw his beloved, Veronica. She gave him a smile, and he smiled back.

She had been adjusting as he expected to the new modern world. Every day and step had been a new experience for her, from seeing the towering skyscrapers, to the new foods of the land, and to the vast variety of knowledge that has been gained over the centuries.

It was an experience for him to see what Veronica saw in the modern world from the shock, to the awe, and the love that she held which shown in her eyes for him through each new experience she encountered. She had taken a liking to his reluctant protégé, and under his rough exterior Balthazar really did have a soft spot for him too. Veronica had found friendship in Dave's girlfriend Rebecca or Becky Barnes, and she had been a valuable ally in helping Veronica into the more awkward stages of the modern world.

Throughout his musings he was going through his books, taking stock of what he recovered. It was when he finished going through his last box of books that he furrowed his eyebrows. One of his books was missing. That in itself wasn't surprising, but this book was one that he rather not have to worry about. A small black book that seemed nondescript, but in reality in the wrong hands something even worse than "The Rising" could happen. It held a terrible yet amazing secret and the thought of losing the book made Balthazar's blood run cold.

He hoped for everyone's sake that Horvath or any other Morganian did not have it. The black book in question was given to him by a friend who knew some Morganian was after him and his family. The book in question held a map of something magical and extraordinary, but if in the hands of evil it could be devastating. The map leads to the location of the Excalibur Sword where Merlin had retrieved it after the battle in which King Arthur killed Mordred.

His master never told him the location of the sword. Inside the book, from what he remembered being told, were clues to the location through riddles and events of the past, present, and even future. At this he remembered quirking his eyebrows up, but Merlin told him that the book would always know its new owner when the last passed away. It was a book of magic and secrets, as old as Merlin himself. The book was a living map of where Excalibur was at any given moment.

The location of the sword was never static. It changed with the Merlinians who kept it safe, so it was never in one spot for a prolonged period of time. This was a safety tactic on Merlin's part, so the sword would not be found by any Morganian and would be kept out of sight and out of mind by all those except who kept its location secret. Merlin never even told his three apprentices the location of the famed sword. All the information, however, was in the book. The closest he ever got to it was seeing the cover as his friend gave it to him. Afterwards he hid it and put it under protected wards.

The man who feared for his family was the last protector he knew of for Excalibur and the book. His friend asked that he be the next protector. The problem is, it was not his destiny to do so, and he had no idea where the sword was considering that his friend did not divulge the information and the black book did not accept him as the holder of it or the sword. The book could only be opened by those who were supposed to open it. All he hoped now was that the sword was still in the location the last owner had placed it. His friend died the very next day.

From what he found out is that the death was caused by a car crash, but Balthazar Blake, sorcerer of the 777th degree, knew the truth. Not only did the man die in a car crash, his wife died as well in a fire at their apartment. Too much of a coincidence for him, someone ten years ago was after the sword and most likely today were still looking for it.

The problem is however is his friend had a son. He didn't know the son's name, but from what he knew did not have the ability to use the art. He was sent away for his own safety and protection. Balthazar Blake knew the protection of the sword was based on the lineage, so the book would have to go to his son, even if he did not have the art at all.

This complicated matters for Balthazar infinitely because how was he going to explain to the son of a good friend of his, who was talented Merlinian, that magic existed when most likely the boy was now a man in his late twenties? Knowing he had his own life to lead, this would make things complicated. At least with Dave he had _some_ experience, of course that resulted him being stuck in an urn for ten years and a reluctant Dave. Funny how life works out sometimes.

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Ben never told Riley that he was able to get his hands on a small, nondescript black leather bound book. However, he had never known what was inside it. It wasn't easy to open; he even tried cutting the leather strap. All that ended up doing was seeing a good pair of scissors look like it cut through but the strap did not break. He even thought of burning the strap but that didn't help. This brought Ben to his latest plan to take it to New York City and see if he could figure this book out. The leather was strong, but it should have been able to be cut. It couldn't be burned, which raised the question, was what kind of leather was this book?

He knew this book held something within it, most likely a treasure, because if he looked hard at the leather there was a circle with subsections that held different symbols. A cult symbol most likely, which meant a secret group and most likely a treasure at the end of it. Another treasure to find and to protect. He wanted to know what treasure that black book had and he was hoping his friend would help him out. The problem is that Ben really should never have gotten that book when he went to an auction back in New York in late February of 2000.

He went to a particular auction held by B&B Auctioneers Lmt. where most of the antiquities were of an interesting nature. Apparently, from what he heard, they all came from the same shop that was closed down. Its lease was up and the owner nowhere to be found. So, the store was cleaned and the antiquities went to them. The different auction items were quite bizarre and some were rather interesting. At one point some of the items felt like they were out of _Indiana Jones_ movie or something similar.

But this book had caught his eye and, what would he know, it went for a simple two hundred dollars. Practically nothing for something that was well made and had an interesting symbol embedded in its leather. That black book would lead him to a world he didn't think existed, and a past that no one saw coming.

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this first bit; there will be more I promise! I have the first three chapters written and beta-read, and the next three are in the rough stage of writing and most likely sent to my beta-writer once I double check what I have written. This is my first crossover ever, so reviews and comments would be amazing. I hope people will like this. **


	2. Riley's musings & history of Excalibur

**AN: With Excalibur sword, the origins I am describing are from the **_**BBC Merlin**_** series, which I know does not follow the true Arthurian legend. However, there are many interpretations and for my stories purposes this contemporary telling works. I hope all my readers understand, and will not get me wrong for my mythology inconsistencies. Also many thanks to ****Fluffyblackcloud**** for the superb beta-reading and help! Please review and thank you so much for reading this story!**

**Chapter Two: Riley's musings and the history of Excalibur**

_Washington D.C_

_**Riley's POV**_

Riley wasn't sure what to think. Sure, New York was a great city if you loved a lot of people, who went from the eccentric to the plain weird. Actors and actresses lived there, movies were always shot there, and people always thought that New York was the home where dreams come true. Riley snorted, if he didn't know any better he would say it was more likely a battlefield of the forces between good and evil with all the corrupted Wall Street Bankers and the starry eyed actresses along Broadway who were too naïve for their own good. Not to mention the ballerinas who longed to be in the New York City Ballet. Not that he was cynical or anything.

He grew up along the upper West Side. Privileged, yes, but unwanted. His whole life his father never talked to him, except for a few short times (which he wished happened more often). He would ask how his day was and Riley would say 'well', and his father would reply 'well' too. His father was always away for business or with his friends. His own father would rather hang out with his friends and co-workers than his son. Had he really been that bad of a son?

Riley never thought so. He followed all his family's rules. Well... maybe he stayed up a few nights to work on a computer project or to watch _Star Wars_. Big deal. There was a time when his father did seem to like him and would tell him stories of good versus evil, and a lone traveler searching for a sorcerer who's destiny it was to save the world. He always thought his dad made it up off the top of his head, knowing that Riley liked those kinds of stories. Those were the good times. It was when he got passed his sixth birthday that things started going downhill. No more stories, no more talking to each other. His mother saw this and tried to rectify the situation but his father would always shake his head. Had he done something?

He always wondered if this had anything to do with a situation involving a ring that his father once tried to give him. He held out the ring within his hand with a big smile on his face, but when Riley took the ring into his hand his father had frowned after a few seconds and taken it back. His father at that point had completely changed. He was never sure what the importance of that ring was, or was that the day his father saw who he really was as a son.

Riley always wanted to know why his dad hated him because he refused to believe it was all because of one, overly ornate, ring. His mother at least, Helen, was a nice women. But she never commented on how his father acted towards him, except for the occasional times where she would step up and say that he needed to be more of a father to Riley. But then a quick discussion would ensue, and all would be over.

His father was nice in the sense that he never beat him or expected the impossible from him. On the contrary, his father was proud that he had taken to history and liked computer science. He would always mention a friend of his that had a penchant for history as well and then his mother would look at his father and what could have been a good moment went away. Riley started getting the feeling he was out of the loop somehow. Not that it truly mattered to him as he was just that kind of guy who never knew what was really going on.

Not that it mattered anymore. His parents had died on the same fateful day back in 2000. His father died in a car crash and his family's apartment had been burned down, while his mother was inside. The police said it was a gas leak but his apartment was the only one to have any real amount of damage. The car crash was brutal from what he remembered seeing in the pictures. He had been up in Vermont at school when he heard the news. Luckily for him his father was well off and the family accounts had gone to him, mostly to pay for his boarding school, college, and any post-graduate schooling he wanted to attend. Only, everything else it seemed his father had disappeared.

All the arrangements had been made in advance, which was odd; it was like his father expected an early death. But Riley shook his head. This was morbid thinking on his part. Even though his father wasn't the kind of man to talk to his son often there were those occasions where they would chat. Then his father would remember something and clam up.

Come to think of it, the only person his father did talk about besides his grandfather and some of his co-workers was that friend of his. Apparently, this friend was well travelled and had seen a lot of places. His father had mentioned that he was well versed in all types of history, from European to American. Riley remembered when they were talking during those few moments asking if he could ever meet his friend. It was then that the atmosphere changed and his father dropped the subject. A no then to meeting this well-travelled friend it seemed.

New York this time wouldn't be with a cold family though, it would be with his friends: Benjamin and Abigail Gates. Heck, maybe even he could persuade his friend to see a musical, not that he normally liked them but they could see _Spamalot_. Maybe, just maybe he would have fun.

After all he was going to the NYU campus; there would probably be some good looking seniors or grad students. Not to mention the interesting things that always seemed happen at college campuses. He would even get a chance to go to the Carnegie Deli. He couldn't wait to get his favorite pastrami sandwich again. It was probably one of the few things he missed, along with the Chrysler Building for some reason.

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_New York City_

_**Dave's POV**_

Dave Stutler was wondering why Balthazar had called him thirty minutes before practice. He wasn't going to be late and he already knew he had practice today, but from the sound of Balthazar's voice whatever he had to say was urgent. He really hoped this had nothing to do with any Morganians or dragons, or even trolls. He shivered when he remembered his last encounter with a troll in the sewers. Not the most amazing day he ever had.

Becky was there with him in thick black leggings, a short beige pencil skirt and a really nice black sweater that she got as an early Christmas gift from, surprisingly of all people, Balthazar. It even seemed that the snow and the city's lights on Rockefeller Plaza were able to get the usually serious sorcerer into the spirit of the holidays, however Dave believed it was more to do with Veronica than anybody else.

As Dave and his girlfriend Becky entered his lab, now turned part time sorcerer's lair, the Merlin's circle's orange flames licked the outlining two circles and Dave saw his master in the center, the forbidden element. The outer and inner circle went out as soon as Dave came downstairs.

"So why did you need me a half hour early? If you thought I was going to be late I should tell you I was planning to be on time you know." His master had a scowl on his face and Dave was going to ask what he did wrong when he saw that Balthazar's eyes were little out of focus. When he saw that Dave was standing in front of him he softened up his features.

"Good, you're here," he said and Dave saw his master walk over to the table were a lot of candles were lit up and the _Encantus_, in all its large glory, was opened up to a certain page. As Dave took a closer look he saw that it was a picture of a sword, and he didn't know much about swords at all. What he did know was that picture showed one heck of a sword. The image was of an item that was not only well crafted but had a sublime beauty to it with crystals and jewels on the hilt that Dave believed would have sparkled. At least, that was the impression he got from the _Encantus_' picture. Balthazar saw him looking at this picture.

"Is this why you wanted me here now, to show me a picture of a sword?" Dave asked. Balthazar looked at him with annoyance.

"That isn't just any regular sword Dave, read the caption**.**" Dave was a little exasperated, but he followed his master's directions and looked at the bottom of the picture and read:

_The Excalibur Sword, forged with the last dragon's breath and the magic of the just and powerful Merlin_.

Dave just stared at picture and he saw that his master looked back at him. Dave knew the legends about Excalibur but he couldn't believe it was a real sword. To be honest, magic wasn't supposed to real either but here he was training to become one of the most powerful sorcerers the world has seen since Merlin.

"So Excalibur is real then?" Dave asked, sounding slightly surprised and a little taken back. Balthazar had a look on infinite patience on his face and once again went into his master mode, but of course he did look a little bemused at the fact that Dave's jaw was slightly slack.

"What? You thought Excalibur was a legend? I suppose you thought that Arthur wasn't real either?" Balthazar had this big smirk on his face; Dave really wished he could wipe it off his face. Instead he shook his head.

"Excalibur is real Dave, and the reason I wanted you here earlier is that, at one point, I had a friend who was the protector of Excalibur," Balthazar said. Dave listened to the tale his master spun, explaining to him everything from how the sword was forged and how it was used to save Camelot from utter disaster to how Arthur was able to kill Mordred with it. After the battle, Merlin took the sword to hide it away.

The power of Excalibur was great and only Merlin or Arthur were supposed to be able to wield it's power for good. Dave wanted to know why such a weapon would be hidden if it was so great, but Balthazar informed him that the magic within the sword could have the potential to destroy all that is good as well. Dave got the shivers.

His master further explained how it was hidden by different Merlinian families throughout time. At this point Balthazar became exasperated when he realized Dave thought that his master, Veronica, and he were the only sorcerers besides Morganians out there.

The location of where each family had hidden the sword could be found by following clues in a little black leather bound book. It looked nondescript to the average eye, but if one had an eye for detail they would notice the Merlin circle printed on it. The clues would lead each new protector to where the sword was hidden so they would be able to find it, and hide it again.

Of course Dave heard what happened to the last family; they were brutally murdered, their deaths explained away as accidents such as a car accident and apartment fire. At least that was Dave's understanding of it from what Balthazar had said. The last family happened to be friends of Balthazar's and the father of the family, Daniel Opoel, who was another Merlinian sorcerer as well.

Of course now, Dave found out the real reason he wanted him here. They were going to track down the little black book and get it to his friend's son who, by the way, did not have the ability to do magic. Dave felt pretty bad for the guy, he would have to deal with something that shouldn't exist at all and had no way to protect it. That and a fairly epic sorcerer who was really too serious at times and had a tendency to shoot off Dave's Tesla coils whenever he liked, though Dave was getting good at avoiding them.

Becky sat through the whole exchange with her mouth open and closed at some parts. This whole experience was still new to her, but to hear that the Excalibur sword was real and not legend at all got her wondering what was truly fantasy anymore. Sorcerers, witches, dragons, trolls, and magic swords were all reality. It even seemed ancient treasure was real, which reminded her that before this whole event came up she had wanted to see if Dave would attend the Abigail Gates lecture with her on Wednesday the 8th of December.

Once it seemed that Dave and Balthazar were done discussing the matter of Excalibur she heard Dave ask, "So how are we going to track down this little black book?" Becky saw the grim expression on Dave's master's face.

"We'll start with whoever got a hold of my books and sold them or auctioned them off," Balthazar said. Dave wasn't sure how easy that was going to be because there were a ton of auctioneers in Manhattan alone.

Not to mention while all this was happening Becky asked him if he wanted to attend a lecture this Wednesday with her. It sounded like it was going to be a busy week.

**AN: Please review and I hope you are enjoying the story. I know it seems a bit slow right now, but I promise from what I am writing in the upcoming chapters it will get fairly interesting. All authors have to start somewhere. I want to see what you have to say about my first crossover because I really want this to be good. Thank you!**


	3. Riley Remembers and the Quest Begins

**AN: Sorry for the short chapter, the next few I hope will be longer. Thank you to Fluffyblackcoud for an awesome beta job. Just to add again I do not own _National Treasure_ or _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do. I am just doing this for fun and reviews are greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading this story and enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: Riley Remembers and the Quest Begins**

_Washington D.C_

_**Ben's POV**_

Benjamin Gates was looking at his wife. Truth be told he was a little worried about Riley back there. As they were packing for their trip to New York City, Ben was wondering if he should just let Riley be and stay here. Of course it just felt wrong after all they had gone through together. He was, after all, his best friend. He felt like if he left him behind that something bad would happen to him, and Ben felt like it was his duty to protect his friend. Abigail, with her long blonde hair and blue eyes, looked at him intently.

"What was Riley's reaction all about? He was acting like going to New York City would be the most dangerous thing in the world to do. I know that at times New York can be scary but this is just a business and pleasure trip. I mean, we are going to be in the city during December. It should be beautiful with the snow, Christmas cheer all around, and maybe we could even throw in a trip to Rockefeller center to ice skate for good measure." Abigail said. Ben had to roll his eyes at this. He really wasn't all hung up on the more touristy parts of the city. Abigail saw this and had a grim expression on her face.

"I think we owe it to him," She said. Ben had to sigh; his wife did have a point. He knew family problems could be tough, his parents divorced when he was younger. Maybe he would put up with the touristy parts of New York to make his friend happy.

"As long as I don't have to see a blasted musical then we'll be good." With that Ben left his room to see if his friend was packing. He decided that maybe he should let Riley in on his ulterior motive and maybe he could help him open the damn black leather book. Riley was in his room of Ben and Abigail's house. Most people would wonder as to why of all places Riley was staying here when he had his own apartment.

Easy, Riley was a genuine moocher, and to be honest he really didn't mind. He enjoyed his friend's presence, even though at times he could get on his nerves. Especially when he wanted to be obnoxious about the different history myths he knew about. Ben was an American history man, and though Riley knew a good deal of American History he had a penchant for more European myths. Yeah, his friend had a thing for Arthurian legends. He shook his head. If he knew one thing that did not exist it was Merlin, Morgana, and the sword Excalibur.

Ben snorted, like magic even existed. The Salem witch trials were a farce. He looked on as Riley closed his suitcase. Ben had the black leather book in his hands. Riley looked up to see his friend come in.

"You packed and ready to go tomorrow?" he asked. Riley nodded mutely. Ben quirked his eyebrow at the same time he saw Riley's eyes look at the black leather book in his hands. Ben sat down on the bed, it was now or never. He thought he would hear a groan out of his friend about being part of another treasure hunt or fixation or something. What he saw in Riley's eyes however wasn't fear, it was a glassy eyed blankness.

Riley made a gesture to see the book and Ben handed it to him. His hands went over the smooth leather and found the strange embedded symbols on it. He turned it back and forward under his eyes. It was at that time that Ben saw Riley went to unbuckle the leather strap and was going to tell him it didn't open. What surprised Ben was how easily the leather strap came undone for his friend. Riley had managed to do what he could not do, and that was open the blasted book. He saw that Riley eyes looked like they did earlier with a hint of remorse and fear.

"Ben**,** where did you get this?"

Ben told Riley about how he got the book from an auction the last time he was in New York back in 2000. He never thought much of it because he thought it might have had information on the Templar Treasure, but now he was fixated on it. Riley seemed all the while either lost in thought or only half-listening to his spiel. Ben was beginning to worry about his friend.

"Ben, this was my dad's book. I have only seen it a few times in my life, but I remember it. It isn't hard when there are these symbols on it." Ben's eyebrows went up to his forehead.

Did Riley know what was in this book then? Riley saw his expression and his eyes told him what he needed to know. Riley had absolutely no idea. Well, the book was now open and the first lines said:

_This journey book contains the specific location of the most exulted weapon in history. The only ones to know the true location of its existence are the one with the just and powerful's power, his disciple of near immortality and long lost love, and the heir of the journal who does not have the gift. To all who endeavor this journey know that the weapon can be a force for good as well as evil._

There was nothing else on the page. It was written in an intensely beautiful script of black and the curves of the letter were art in themselves. So, this was a treasure map of sorts. When Ben turned the pages he could find nothing else as the rest of the book was blank. Though, the most peculiar event happened when he passed it to Riley. On the next page words appeared:

_A word to the wise, your endeavor will be filled with surprises both known and unknown and is not to be taken lightly. Safety lies in the hands of those who the just and powerful trusted most but be wary of the traitor and other traitor of the one who does not possess the art._

It looked like Riley and he were in over their heads. These clues made no sense at all. This book was the strangest he had ever seen; maybe it dealt with thermodynamics and that was why the words only appeared when Riley touched the book. It was strange, yet exciting. He saw that Riley was thinking and closed the book. He saw the glint in his friend's eyes. He looked exasperated.

"I'm guessing I am not going to be able to turn you away from your desire to find out where this book leads to and what."

Riley should have known better that once Benjamin Gates decided what he wanted to do, he had to go through with it.

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_**Dave's POV**_

Dave watched as Balthazar looked in the phonebook of all places for where the book may have been sold. His hand was hovering over the page and Dave could see his master's ring glow its usual green-yellow color as his hand stopped over one entry. He saw that his master's face was the embodiment of complete concentration and, even though he was placed under a near immortality spell, he could see the aging lines in his face and the furrows along his eyes. Dave walked over to where his master was sitting and looked over his shoulder and saw the entry: B&B Auctioneers Lmt. His master looked at him and Dave got the idea that was where they were going to look first.

"What did you do?" Dave asked. He was still rather new to this whole sorcery thing.

His master studied him, "It's an item location spell based on memory of an object and where it was taken. I remembered the last location it was. Once I went into the urn, my wards on the book were lifted. Meaning people could see it. The people were from B&B apparently from the tags on their clothes." His master got up and wrapped his scarf around his neck and grabbed his three hundred and fifty year old rawhide trench coat and led Dave to his Rolls Royce Phantom with Becky and Veronica in tow.

"I'll teach it to you sometime, after we recover the book that is," Balthazar said breezily.

"What if it was sold," Dave asked.

The look in his master's eyes told he better hope that is was not. Dave knew that nothing was that easy, but if he could have one wish he would have wished that the auctioneers were not able to sell the book and they could get it back like most of Balthazar's stuff. Unfortunately, life does not always work out the way we wish it did.


	4. Pack Up and Findings

**AN: I am sorry for the lateness of this update and for the shortness as well (but it is good to have another update!). Many thanks to my awesome beta-reader ****Flufflyblackcloud**** who once again did an amazing job on this chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and please review!**

**Disclaimer: Again, I do not own **_**National Treasure**_** or **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do.**

**Enjoy!**

_Washington D.C December 4, 2010 6:30 AM_

_**Riley's POV**_

It was early morning, why did he have to wake up so early? Oh yeah, that's right, to drive to New York City. Who drives to New York City from Washington D.C anyways? Couldn't they have decided to take a plane or even a train?

As Riley mulled these thoughts over in his head he realized that it wouldn't be that bad, at least the weather had let up. It wouldn't be snowing when they arrived up at the Empire State. He really hated the cold, even if he grew up as a New Yorker, lived in Vermont for four years, went to college at Georgetown, and now currently resides in D.C. He saw that Ben and Abigail were loading the rest of the suitcases into the car. At least he would have some legroom considering they were taking Abigail's car.

Ben was wearing jeans and had a thick brown jacket on and Abigail was wearing some black slacks and a thick brown sweater. He looked down at his own clothes, jeans and a number of heavy layers. It was chilly outside, but he was just glad that it wasn't snowing anymore.

"Riley?" Ben asked.

Riley was sitting in the silver Mercedes van they were going to drive up to New York in and saw that Ben was staring up at him. He should have responded but he was thinking over what happened yesterday with his father's book, the one now in Ben's possession. He wondered how it got into his possession in the first place. Of course he knew Ben got it from an auctioneer back in 2000, a few months after the apartment fire.

But as far as he knew his dad had it with him at all times. He only saw the book once, but as he told Ben he would never forget the look of it. Not to mention, wouldn't it have been lost to the fire? If not, then what happened to get it to the auctioneers?

Riley started to wonder where the book could have gone to when an idea struck him. Weird as it sounded it did make sense. His father's one friend, who Riley never knew the name of, whom he'd trusted a lot. He probably gave the book to his friend; the problem is how did it go from his father's friend to Ben? Or why would his father give the book to his friend?

This started bringing more questions into his head than he cared to have. Of course, he had received the book from Ben after finding out it was his father's. The fact that it was a treasure map might seem a bit of fate, or something else. Considering now he was a treasure hunter, at least, he considered himself one, even when Ben got all the fame.

Riley was aware that the black book was unusual even from his younger days. The book only had information written inside when he held it, not when Ben did. Ben shook it off as maybe a special kind of ink or something, but the book was rather old and odd. Why was he the only person who could make the ink show up on its pages? Why make ink like that? Obviously to protect whatever this weapon was, _the most exulted weapon_, as the journal said. What could that mean? What was exulted as far as weapons went?

It puzzled him to no end, and there was a strange taste to all of this. Riley wanted to be analytical about this situation but the book's ink appearing at his touch, not to mention the clues, was all very odd. Like the clue saying a near immortal disciple and his long lost love would help them find what they were looking for. What was that all about? Immortality could never be achieved; it must have meant something else.

All thoughts on the journal aside, he wanted to know how old this book was. He looked at the symbol inscribed on the leather and noted all the curvatures, lines, and symbols. It was rather interesting to look at. Ben believed it was a cult of some kind, but none of them could find a cult had the sort of image the book represented. He decided that he was going to sleep on the ride over than worry about the book. The treasure could wait in his mind considering it was six in the morning, way too early in his opinion.

He thought back to the time when he did see this book last. His father's expression when he found it was a cross between extreme anger…and disappointment. It always bothered him how his father was so secretive and would never tell him anything.

His father might not have talked to him much but he was smart. His father always wore a ring, not just his wedding band but also another ring. He always just brushed it off as something his father wore. Some men liked to wear jewelry. But knowing his father as a person and man of business, wearing extra jewelry was not his custom.

Also, his father was gone a lot for business. One time when his father was gone he was just minding his own business and from the apartment window (they were on the second floor of an eight floor walk up building) he saw a picture perfect, black, Rolls Royce Phantom parked on the street.

He ogled at the sheer beauty of it. He was a car person, and wondered who would own such a nice car. The beautiful curves, the old style image, he would have died for a car like that. When he saw his mother by the vehicle he quirked his eyebrows. So his family knew someone with a car like that? He would love to meet this person. He saw a man with a hat and a dark, what looked like leather, duster coat but he wasn't sure. The man was talking to his mom. First thoughts were when did she leave the apartment because the PA system did not go off, but the second question was who was this guy? Though he was pretty sure this was his father's "well travelled" friend, for one reason or another.

Riley knew if he was going to find out any information that he would have to talk to his dad's friend. Even though the only clue he had was an old Rolls Royce Phantom. It had been a little over ten years, what's to say the guy doesn't live in the city anymore? He wouldn't blame the guy. Probably had a house up in the Hamptons or something, he would if he still had a lot of money. Unfortunately, the money he was given was explicitly for school, and he went to an expensive school and college.

"RILEY! RILEY! Anyone there? Didn't you hear me the first time?" He heard Ben with a raise of his voice that sounded like exasperation.

Riley shook his head from his internal musings and saw that Ben was directly in front of him and he put on a sheepish smile. It didn't work. His friend did not like the fact that he was ignoring him. So, he probably should have answered him sooner.

"Riley, we're going to leave and Abigail asked me to make sure that you went before we left," Ben told his computer knowledgeable counterpart.

Riley quirked his eyebrows at this. He was a grown man and he was being treated like a little kid? He was about to retort but the expression on Ben's face gave him no room to argue. Fine. He trudged back into the house, went about his business and came back. Before he knew it he was heading back to the place where he grew up.

He would have to tell Ben that he might know a person who could help them out. Riley really hoped he would because after getting the book Riley wanted to know a few things about his late father. He was pretty sure that the black book and whatever treasures it held was something his father's friend also knew about.

Whatever happened he was going back to New York City and was stuck in a car for the next couple of hours. At least Abigail and Ben had the decency to allow him to have his coffee and delicious jellybeans.

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._Later that Day around ten o'clock in New York City at the Arcana Cabana II…_

_**Dave's POV**_

Dave realized that today was not going to be a good day when he entered the subway turnaround station. Yesterday, going to the auctioneers had been, how could he say this... frustrating. His master was barely restraining his anger when the people at the office did not want to give away the information of the person who brought the book. That's right. The little black book was sold and Balthazar was not happy at all.

So, the map to Excalibur was stolen. Technically it was all legal but of course Balthazar said they stole it. Dave didn't blame them; Balthazar was stuck in an urn for ten years, how did the auctioneers know he was still alive when his store was finishing its lease and he was nowhere to be found?

But Dave, even though Balthazar had told him what the sword was capable of, did not see why it truly mattered. People these days didn't use swords, not unless they were role playing or fencing in which case they would use foils, epees, or sabers. He looked up from where he was sitting just to take a break from his training.

Of course, Balthazar took all his frustration out on him and he had to work extra hard today. Not that it mattered; he didn't like seeing his master frustrated like this. So, he could deal. It wasn't like he was making him run marathons, even if he felt at times like he did.

When, Balthazar was finally able to gain some information on who brought the book that was when his frustration and anger turned into sheer terror. They had found out that the black book was sold to a Mr. Benjamin Gates. Veronica, who was with him, had no idea who he was. Dave had an inkling and so did Becky at the time, but Balthazar seemed to get this cloudy eyed expression before he came back to the present.

When they left the auctioneers office Balthazar turned to him, "Of all the people the book was sold to it had to be a treasure hunter didn't it?" I could only nod my head.

As of right now, Balthazar was trying to figure out what to do next to get the book back. From what Dave understood, the book wasn't his property to begin with, but he was in charge of it till he found his friend's son. Somehow, Dave thought, this was going to be either incredibly difficult or incredibly easy. Considering Becky and him were going to Abigail Gates' lecture, maybe they could meet with Benjamin Gates and get the book back from him? Of course, once Balthazar found out about this he insisted he would come too. This was going to get fairly interesting. After all, why would the guy come up to New York and have the black book with him? For all Dave knew it was probably back at his house.

**AN: Thanks for reading and please leave a review, it won't take that long. The next update should be fairly soon (I hope), but I plan on finishing this story do not worry (it just might take some time). Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! **


	5. New Jersey & Balthazar's Ruminations

**AN: Hello there again, and yes here is another update yay! Anyways, thank you once again to my awesome beta-reader Blackfluffycloud! Who is doing a wonderful job! I hope you enjoy this piece (and yes it is a little bit longer than the previous two :-) ).**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _National Treasure_ or _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ Disney and Jerry Bruckhiemer do.**

**Chapter Five: New Jersey and Balthazar's Ruminations **

_**Somewhere in New Jersey…**_

It was a pity that he never saw the look on Mr. Opoel's face when his wife died by his hands. After all, he died in a car crash, a rather ordinary way for a Merlinian to die. He had to laugh at that. He also had to scowl as well because he didn't kill the whole family. Daniel Opoel had a kid, and the kid wasn't there when he burned the mother. All he had known was the kid was still around and was trying to find any Opoel's around up and down the East coast and had zero leads. He knew Mr. Opoel was a resourceful person and changed his son's family name for his safety. The problem is what did he change it to?

Harvey Whitefield might not be a high degree Morganian, but he knew if he ever met his mistress that she would like him for his loyalty and for taking out Merlinians. Of course, for the last ten years he was trying to find that little black book that Mr. Opoel held. Hence why he started the fire and hired a thug to crash into Mr. Opoel's car. No one ever knew it was some low value banker who killed the keeper to something that, if in his hands, would give him the chance to become a successful Morganian. After all, the little black book held the map to the Excalibur sword.

But right now he came face to face with the most unexpected. A burly man had made his way into his apartment, uninvited, and he was about to retort until he took in the image of this man. The man was not slim, rather bulgy but not overly obese. He had black hair and deep penetrating eyes. He was looking at him with a scowl on his face.

"Mr. Whitefield, I was told I could use your services."

Of all the luck in the world, Harvey decided, is that he had the greatest pleasure of meeting Maxim Horvath, a Morganian who had actually worked with the mistress of his order. The original backstabber before Brutus from William Shakespeare's work _Julius Caesar_. He had to give it to the guy; he had style and a sense of dignity. But of course he heard about the failing of 'the rising' and the need to get his cane back.

He, of course, would help, but he had the upper hand. He had his ring, and maybe, just maybe, someone besides his mother would take him seriously. Harvey Whitefield was no Drake Stone who improvised, but he did not have as much power as the youth had. He was pretty low level, but that was the best kind to think you were not worth someone's time so you could sneak up on unsuspecting people.

After all, he never did get caught by Maxim's former colleague Balthazar Blake who he knew had dealings with Mr. Opoel. That had to count for something. But then again, as he was looking into those deep penetrating eyes he wasn't sure if he did have the upper hand or not.

It was then that the phone rang, and Maxim lifted his eyebrow. Harvey decided to see who it was. Whoever was calling had the worst timing ever.

"Hello?"

"Harvey, that you? I got a proposition for you. I heard that Benjamin Gates, Abigail Gates, and Riley Poole are in New York City."

Harvey had to raise his eyebrow because the man he was talking to was none other than Ian Howe. Ian Howe and him had been friends in college, of course he never told his friend about him being a Morganian and magic. It didn't really matter they were like-minded people and enjoyed wealth and fame though he never got the fame he deserved. He hoped at one time he would get his fair share. From the sound of this he might be having a killing spree because he had heard the story where Benjamin Gates put him in jail. Goody, he liked keeping himself busy with such affairs.

"What's the proposition?" Harvey asked smoothly.

"I'm getting out of prison and you are going to help me get back at Ben, his wife, and his friend."

The telephone went silent and he saw Maxim Horvath raise his eyebrows. Harvey realized this seemed a little out of place for a rather important Morganian but this was a good friend of his and he would help him out. Even if it meant delaying his quest to find that black book, which he had been on for ten years. He had searched every auction and sale. He either was too late, or Daniel Opoel had given it to his son who to this day he could not find. It didn't help matters that he didn't know the name of Daniel's son.

"I'll tell you the details later but here is what you need to know. We'll get your cane back and have some fun," Harvey replied to Maxim Horvath.

He could see the smirk on his face. Harvey Whitefield could not wait to get back into the swing of things.

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_**Along the New Jersey Turnpike…**_

_**Riley's POV**_

"Are we there yet?"

"No Riley."

A pause.

"Are we there yet?"

"RILEY!"

Okay, so he knew he was being annoying by asking if they were there yet when he knew they were only on the New Jersey Turnpike. The traffic was moderate but was going to get pretty heavy soon. Hence why they left super early. He saw the look on Ben's face while Ben was driving, and Abigail as well. It was at that moment Abigail saw the black book that Ben and him were trying to keep this a secret till later, but…

"Riley, where did you get that black book from?" Abigail Chase-Gates asked.

He was about to answer when she twisted herself from the front seat of the car and took the book into her own hands. Ben glanced but couldn't really see because he was supposed to be looking at the road.

"Uhhh…" He didn't know what to say when suddenly Ben steps in**.**

"It's a treasure map," he said. Riley would have smacked his head on his laptop if it was in front of him, which it wasn't. Abigail did not look particularly amused. She looked rather stern and Riley knew when you got Abigail Chase-Gates angry no one was safe. After all, he did once say to Ben that she was the angry hot lady from the museum.

"Benjamin Franklin Gates, I thought I explicitly told you that there was to be no treasure hunting on this trip!" Abigail exclaimed.

Riley had to hold back a snicker. He knew his best friend was in trouble when his wife recited his whole name. That was when Abigail whipped her head to look at him. Seriously, did the woman ever get whiplash from doing that?

"Did you put this him up to this Riley?" Abigail looked at him with arched eyebrows. It was definitely cringe inducing.

Riley was stunned that Abigail would accuse him of such a thing. He was the one who liked to layback, soak up the fame, go out with cute girls; not to get himself caught up in another adventure. Not that he minded another treasure hunt, he happened to like it. It made him feel important, he never felt that way when he was younger.

"No, it was Ben who somehow got my father's black book-turned treasure map." Why did he say that? What was his mind thinking? Now Abigail was getting to the point where she wanted answers. Her eyes were scarily icy and one could believe the temperature in the vehicle went down a few degrees.

"Now you really got yourself into a hole," said an exasperated Ben.

I was about to retort and say this was his fault when he saw that Abigail noticed the symbols on the leather. She looked at them intently and her eyebrows arched up.

She looked back at him and said, "Riley what kind of treasure map is this?"

I then explained to her we didn't entirely know; only that it was a weapon of some sort. She looked at it intently**.**

"I don't know much about European history Riley, but I am pretty sure these marks are druid based. But then again, I am not entirely sure..." She seemed to be thinking pretty hard about his. Even though her first reaction was not entirely positive she had joined them on their last few treasure hunts and was up to the challenge.

It was at this point he is not sure what came over him but he said, "I think I might know someone who can help us out." Did he just say what he think he said?

Abigail stared at me and I could hear Ben's exasperation as well as from the look I could see in the rearview mirror is what is your plan now Riley?

"I think my father's friend who owns a black Rolls Royce knows something, except I don't know his name."

He swore that Ben and Abigail looked at each other and were exasperated, but then he decided to ask,

"Are we there yet?"

He was met with a jelly bean being thrown at him and a very loud, "NO!"

Well, at this rate he was looking forward to New York just so he could get out of the car and plug in his laptop to try and search for anyone who owned a classic Rolls Royce Phantom in the New York City area. Of course, that is asking to find a needle in a haystack considering that New York City is full of affluent people. Who is to say he is going to find the same Rolls Royce from all those years ago? Riley didn't believe in fate and undoubtedly that would get him into some trouble.

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_New York City_

_**Balthazar's POV**_

He could not believe of all people in the United States and the world the one book, which most people would throw to the wayside for being a _seemingly_ empty book, would turn up in the hands of a treasure hunter who found the Templar treasure. Of course he knew the treasure was real, but not that he had such an interest in the matters of treasure when he was trying to find the Prime Merlinian. He rubbed his head in exhaustion.

At least there was a possibility of seeing the famed Gates considering his wife and him were giving a lecture at NYU in a few days. He of course had heard the story from his apprentice Dave and his girlfriend Becky about Benjamin Gates, but he knew before their explanation because this was a generational thing. The Gates in American history were talked about for their obsession. It did not slip by him considering that he had lived in the new world, the United States for a while.

He looked to see his wife. Veronica, in all her gorgeous beauty, was stocking some shelves of his store. Dave was off to class as well as Becky and here he was trying to figure out how to get that black book back. He felt like he failed his friend by losing the book in the first place. He still felt bad that he couldn't help his friend Daniel Opoel's son. The poor boy was orphaned while at his boarding school, which his friend told him was his safety precaution considering he did not have the ability to perform magic. It was a good idea, considering getting the young man a first rate education was important, but on the other hand it kept him out of harm's way. Especially if Daniel Opoel changed his son's surname, which he most likely did.

When he did get the black book he would have to explain to him the importance of the book, because whether Balthazar liked it or not, he could not protect the sword. It was not his duty. Sure, he could keep it, but he could not hide it nor gain the access to the sword's current location, which could be anywhere.

The sword moved, it did not stay in one place. He even heard that his friend told him the sword could be in his closet one day, but the next day he places it somewhere else to be safe for years unless it feels threatened. It was a very temperamental weapon if there is such a thing.

Of course, right now he would take this day by day. The Gates, from what he heard, were coming into the city early. So maybe there was the off chance before the lecture they could meet with them and ask about the book. He was an antique dealer and maybe, just maybe, he would be able to get it back with no questions asked considering he could persuade the Gates the book had no historical value that it was a collection item. Nothing more.

He highly doubted it considering he had a little history with the Gates family. They were quick and liked puzzles and one-track minded when it came to the Templar treasure. At least, that is what he got when he was in the pub the day Abraham Lincoln got assassinated where a certain Gate's member was. The ensuing fight, well... it wasn't his matter to deal with. The Gates were known for their quick minds and puzzle solving skills. He knew somehow that this Gates wouldn't be easy to deal with, or the company he held.

It was at this moment Balthazar got the feeling things were not going to be that easy. He had a bad feeling in his gut that something wicked this way came.


	6. A Black Rolls Royce & A business card

**AN: Here is another installment! Yay! I am so sorry these are not getting updated quite as fast as I would like, but I do like my beta-reader and the hard work she is putting into this. Give a big round of applause for ****Blackfluffycloud****, who is extremely awesome for having to put up with my constant nagging and for the awesome work she is putting into this story! Anyways, I am sorry that is another shorter chapter. However, I will let in on a little secret sometime soon there will be pretty long chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_** or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do. I am just writing this for fun. Enjoy! And please review!**

**Chapter 6: Black Rolls Royce's and a business card**

_**Ben's POV**_

It seemed far too often in his life that he got mixed up in things both grand and unusual, not that he minded. He spent his entire life trying to find the Templar Treasure, found it, and now he had found another treasure to pursue. Here he was entering the Big Apple thinking that besides teaching a lecture at NYU he was going on another treasure hunt but this time one that was by far more unusual than any other. It was an exciting venture but he knew that this treasure didn't have any U.S roots. It was probably far older than any treasures he had searched for. This was his gray area.

For one the clues did not make any sense from 'the gift' to 'near immortal', 'lost loves', 'of just and powerful's power' (what a confusing statement), and 'the heir to the journal who does not have the gift at all'. What the heck was _the gift_? His thoughts about the heir to the journal made him quirk his eyebrows. From what he knew, even though Riley's father had this book it didn't mean that it was a family heirloom. Riley didn't even know how his father came by it; he never mentioned it being a family book or anything.

This all sounded quite cliché and grade-b fantasy about chosen ones and the battle between good and evil and all that nonsense. He snortedwhen he took a quick look behind him and saw that Riley was sleeping. He knew his friend had a penchant for Arthurian legends and Merlin and Morgana. Hah, that was funny. Almost as funny as an inanimate object coming to life or pigs sprouting wings and flying.

He had his eyes back on the road and saw that the street was coming up where their hotel was. They passed some of NYU's buildings and he saw a lanky man holding up an umbrella for a girlfriend of his. Young love, always could be seen in the city that never sleeps. They drove up to the Hilton they were going to stay at. Riley woke up and looked around. He didn't look upset, but then looked at him with a small smile.

"So, when do we go to Dylan's?"

Leave it to his friend to think about candy before unpacking. He had to shake his head. It was then he saw the lanky boy and his girlfriend down the street getting into a black Rolls Royce. It looked like a Phantom early 1900's model. He had to quirk his eyebrows and Riley saw the car and he looked at him. Before he knew it the Rolls Royce was gone. Ben shook his head, it probably was another Rolls Royce but the look that Riley had on told him differently.

"That was it," Riley said with his voice sounding far off.

"Riley, it could be the same color, but not the same car." Ben replied.

He watched as Riley opened up the door, they were stopped at this point, and was going to bolt after the car but it was not there anymore. Though, after the car drove off, he saw a flint of something fly off but did not know what.

"No, that was it." Riley seemed determined to think the car they saw was the car of his father's friend. It was a pretty farfetched idea.

"How can you tell?" Ben asked and he saw his friend look at him with a small, grim smile.

"The silver eagle on the back is a dead giveaway."

Now they had to look for the same car and on the back was a miniscule steel eagle, apparently. Abigail looked on at the scene with interest but brought their luggage into the hotel. Riley looked at the spot the car once occupied. He could of sworn for a blink of a second the car changed from a phantom to a Mercedes Benz but he shook his head. That defied the laws of physics, plus it was impossible to think you could change any car into another car. He snorted.

Little did he know that tonight was not going to be so nice. Across the street, ten minutes after the Rolls Royce left, appeared a burly man in a bowler cap and another man with dark brown hair and an evil glint in his eye. There was a third as well, one who just escaped a couple of hours ago and caught a helicopter over. This man has blonde hair and intense looking blue eyes. Of course, Ian Howe had his eyes set on Ben Gates, the rest he would leave up to his friend and his…colleague, Maxim Horvath.

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_**Dave's POV**_

Dave realized when he was walking along the sidewalk in front of the science buildings of NYU that there was a silver Mercedes Benz SUV driving down the street along with Balthazar's black Rolls Royce phantom. Classes had ended and Balthazar had _offered_ (though it was rather not an offer, more of a deal) to drive him back to the lab. After finding out about the where the book was he had to think in retrospect that even though Benjamin Gates was a treasure hunter it didn't mean he wouldn't exploit the weapon if he and his crew found it.

Dave had the feeling that Balthazar wasn't comfortable with anyone besides the son of his friend having any idea about the whereabouts of the book, or the sword for that matter, but the thought that struck Dave was that the information would not be available unless the son of Balthazar's friend had it. So, why were they worried? A singular thought got in his head. What if the one guy no one paid attention to, the tech guy, Riley, is the heir? Dave made a face. That was too unlikely…and yet the day of finding the Arcana Cabana and the note popped back into his head. Things certainly were not simple as they seemed.

Balthazar's car seemed to not get affected by the rain. Dave knew that Balthazar had a lot of enchantments on his car so that nothing would ever affect it. He opened the door to the backseat and Becky and he climbed in. It was at that second he noticed in the rearview mirror that the silver Mercedes was still there and Dave had to do a double check but he was pretty sure in that car was Benjamin Gates. Balthazar, of course, saw this but he also saw another face, one younger than Benjamin Gates. Balthazar had to blink his eyes a few times and they left the curb. Surprisingly, Balthazar changed the car during midday. Dave was sure he saw an expression he had only seen one time before and that was disbelief.

**Balthazar's POV**

It was very hard for anyone to surprise him but the one face he saw in the rearview mirror looked like a ghost of the face of his friend from long ago, Daniel Opoel. Of course, this face was much younger and more mischievous looking than his former stern friend. He also saw that in the car there was the face of Benjamin Gates, though he only knew that from Becky's book which had a picture of Benjamin Gates on it.

Balthazar wanted to think that the person with the similar face of his friend was simply a younger doppelganger of his friend. But he knew in his lifetime that things were not as simple, like a young boy entering his store a little over ten years ago. He let it go and changed the car. Of course, he added an extra level of magic so that no one saw the car transform. Dave seemed surprised but he wanted to try something.

He looked back at Dave and Dave looked back at him**.**

"That was Benjamin Gates," Dave replied to the obvious but Balthazar only nodded.

"Ah, okay, since we figured that out, why did you transform your car?"

Balthazar eyed his apprentice wearily, but there was a small spark of humor in Balthazar's eyes.

"I just want to try something." Balthazar looked back on what was going on in front of him and saw that Becky and Dave were a little puzzled. He wasn't surprised, but what he was doing was seeing if this young fellow was quick like his friend because once he changed his car, he magically left a business card for his store. If the young man was related to his old friend anything out of the ordinary, especially like a small piece of paper flying off, would give this man an interest as to why a black Rolls Royce left seemingly in a rather busy zone.

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_**Riley's POV**_

As he entered his room with Ben, he realized that somehow after the whole weird coincidence with the Rolls Royce he never noticed something on the sole of his shoe. He noticed there was a business card on the bottom that was stuck there. He took it off and saw that is was a cream color card with elegant script. Very _medieval_ looking if he was going to say anything about the typography of the card. On the back of the card was an eagle but on the front in the elegant script was written:

_The Arcana Cabana II_

_Artifacts of a different and unusual nature_

There was an address underneath it and underneath the address was the proprietor's name. When Riley read it he wanted to laugh but at the same time a buzzing sound filled his ears. This was unusual for him because it almost felt like an omen of some kind.

Not that he believed in that sort of nonsense or anything. When he read the two words: Balthazar Blake, he made the decision that for one reason or another he was going to stop by _this_ shop. He wasn't sure why but he had a funny feeling that something was coming. He really hoped that feeling pertained to him finally getting some recognition the next week or the fact that Ben and Abigail would take him to the Carnegie Deli for dinner, before it got super busy that is.

**AN: So, the next chapter will be quite fun as to seeing that there will be the inevitable meeting between my two favorite characters. And if you feel like this story is being slighted, it is a bit considering I am not a big fan of Benjamin Gates, but trust me I am not leaving him out at all! Also, the inevitable meeting will not come first because there will be some clue deciphering first****. Please review in the meantime! I have been told the next chapter should be ready in a few days (but I will be back in school, so things might not be put up as fast as I would like them to be). **


	7. Deciphering clues & the news

**AN: Hello another chapter. Also many thanks to may amazing beta-reader who has to put up with a lot of my horrendous grammar, ****Fluffyblackcloud****. Hope you enjoy it, the next chapter should be in a couple of days.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_ **and **_**National Treasure**_ **Disney does and so does Jerry Bruckheimer.**

**Please review and I hope you enjoy thank you!**

**Chapter seven: Deciphering Clues and the News**

_**Ben's POV**_

"I don't understand Ben, how is it that you can make one trip that is supposed to be simple into a treasure hunt. All you had to do was lecture some college students on American history and see the sights but oh no, you bring a black book with you that is quite unusual and now you want to find the weapon this book talks about."

Ben was listening to his wife ranting at him while Riley was sitting on his bed looking at a business card. Riley never told him what the card was for or where he had gotten it but he saw Riley keep flipping it over. He quirked his eyebrow up.

While Riley continued flipping over the card Ben turned his attention to writing the clues from the previous pages onto paper. Seeing as the book was closed and Riley wasn't going to magically open it again. Thank goodness he remembered the clues from memory. It still perplexed him why the book only would open in Riley's hands, not his or Abigail's. He shook his head and was reading over the clues. But while stuck in his thought process he lifted his head up to see the glaring of Abigail's blue eyes.

"Look, Abigail, obviously this weapon needs to be kept safe. There might be other parties involved and to be honest it feels good to be on another treasure hunt," Ben said. He saw that his wife shook her head and he realized that sometimes his mind could focus only on one thing. Despite the fact that Abigail complains about Ben's fixation on treasure hunting she still enjoys it.

"What I don't get are the clues," Abigail said. Ben looked at Riley and Abigail looked his way. They both saw that he was _still_ looking intently at the business card he found. This had Ben worried, no one normally got so fixated on a single business card. They decided though to simply shrug it off as Riley being Riley. They decided to start deciphering the clues and to see if they could make any sense of them. Ben snorted, he wasn't sure about this, but he was willing to give it a go.

Ben looked at what he had written down:

_This journey book contains the specific location of the most exulted weapon in history. The only ones to know the true location of its existence are the one with the just and powerful's power, his disciple of near immortality and long lost love, and the heir of the journal who does not have the gift. To all who endeavor this journey know that the weapon can be a force for good as well as evil._

Ben scratched his head. He was pretty sure these clues were coded considering the just and powerful's power had to be some sort of codename for a person of history. Who had a lot of power? Was it political power or spiritual power? He thought back as he looked at the journal. What was the age of the book anyway? Figuring out the age of the artifact would help them consider which direction to take.

Going from his first thoughts the journal was at least, if not older, than the 1600's. The Tudors? No, he had to shake his head. Queen Elizabeth I? She was, after all, the Monarch during the English Renaissance and had a lot of power over the country and the English church but somehow that did not sit with him. Why was he thinking English history? This could be pertaining to American history as well.

Like George Washington, who was in his case a very powerful leader. Powerful enough for people to want him to be king but of course he declined, that was not what he wanted. Could the weapon be a secret weapon of the United States, sort of like the secret of Area 51 or like an atomic bomb prototype, except more potent? He had to shake his head. The clue said the weapon could be used for good as well as evil and _the most exulted weapon in history_ rung in his ears. In history? What history? The history of what people or culture? History was, and is, expansive. He couldn't decipher a treasure map without knowing the background and history. All he had were coded clues and a friend who kept staring at a business card. He really needed Riley to help him out here. Sure, Riley might not know as much as him but he did have his moments.

He could see Abigail too but she was writing things down for the second clue, which spoke of the disciple of near immortality and long lost love. This certainly was coded because no one was near immortal. It had to be a statue pertaining to the immortality of love or lost love. Could it be pertaining to something like _Romeo and Juliet_, where the story would be near immortal and the long lost love was Juliet? Could it be that the weapon itself is not a weapon, more like an instrument of imagination like the mind? Then why write it as a weapon and not a device or instrument?

"The clues that we have here don't make any sense. I mean, why code it this way? Why use those words and not others?" Abigail asked him. He had to shake his head. It was at this moment Riley put in his two cents.

"What if it is exactly that? What if the just and powerful is Merlin, you know, from Arthurian legend?" Riley said in a serious matter but with humor at the same time. Both Ben and Abigail looked at him with blank stares.

"What? I was kidding. There is _no_ way that would even make sense. There is nothing in Arthurian legend about Merlin having any disciples anyways. Unless they are talking about Arthur…" Riley mused.

"Riley," Ben was starting to get a little annoyed.

"Okay, I'll stop with my mythical nonsense and you can get back to your thoughts as to what the clues mean. I don't have any idea either," Riley said and he went back to looking at his business card. Ben really wanted to know what was so intriguing about such a little business card but his mind wanted to work out this puzzle before figuring out another.

Ben looked at the next thing he wrote down that was on the second page:

_A word to the wise, your endeavor will be filled with surprises both known and unknown and is not to be taken lightly. Safety lies in the hands of those who the just and powerful trusted most but be wary of the traitor and other traitor of the one who does not possess the art._

Apparently, this was a warning for the party who was looking for this weapon. Perfect. No treasure was going to be that easy to find. There were two traitors, the traitor of the just and powerful and the traitor of the one who does not possess the art. He was starting to get a migraine from all this thinking and none of the thoughts that came to the forefront of his mind made any sense. It was at this point that Abigail looked at him and he noticed she was just as weary as he was.

They both looked over at their friend Riley, who was still absorbed in that little card. He started to get the idea that there was something Riley was not telling them. Then there was the mystery of why, for the past twenty minutes, was he looking at a business card when normally he would have his laptop plugged in and be playing something like _War of Warcraft_.

So he and Abigail looked at their friend and asked, "Riley?"

He saw Riley lift his head up to look at their questioning glances, the business card was put into the pocket of his jacket. They both wondered what could be so intriguing about it. It was Ben who stepped up to the plate to ask their wayward computer tech friend why he was so enthralled by the small piece of paper.

"What have you been looking at for the past twenty minutes?" Ben asked. As soon as he asked, however, Riley's facial expression changed like his friend was lost in thought.

"Riley, you are not getting any dinner tonight**,**" Ben said to get his attention. This snapped him out of his reverie.

"You can't do that Ben!" Riley said. Though he sounded upset he gave Ben a small smile but then returned to business. Riley must have realized what he had asked him earlier, but didn't give Ben the answer he wanted.

"I'm going out."

Riley was about to open the door to leave the hotel room before Ben decided to intercept his friend and crossed his arms. Riley stopped in his tracks.

"Riley, what is on that business card?" Ben directed his question at Riley, who two seconds later would have been out the door. Before Riley could answer or even leave there was a ringing on someone's cellphone, Ben's to be precise. He gave an exasperated sigh and opened his phone up.

"Hello?" He said**.**

"Ben, that you? Good. Look, this is Agent Sadusky. I got some bad news for you Ben. Ian Howe escaped from prison and I think you guys might be in danger. We don't know how he got out but the fact is that Ian has friends somewhere who must have helped him out. We are going to send up some protection while you are in New York City. Or better yet, get out of there before anything happens. I am sorry to say this to you Ben, I know Abigail, Riley, and you were looking forward to this trip."

Ben's blood went cold. Ian escaped prison and now wanted to get back at him. Abigail and Riley were looking at him. He really wished this wasn't happening.

"Ian escaped from prison." As Ben said this there was a deafening boom and a blue orb of light that sizzled and crackled. At first he thought 'what in the world?' and then everything faded from his mind as he blacked out. The last image he saw was a man in a black bowler hat and the blonde hair of Ian Howe.

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**Riley's POV**

He was looking over at Ben while he was on his cellphone. Ben's facial expressions told him that something was really wrong. Riley visibly stiffened and Abigail had a very worried look in her eyes. When Ben closed his cellphone Riley thought he heard some footsteps outside the door but ignored them as Ben told him the news. Riley's face went pale. A minuscule second went by and there was a loud crash and his eyes widened as a sizzling blue orb of energy raced towards Ben. He thought he heard Abigail scream and he went even paler. He didn't realize he was gripping the business card in his jacket with a heavy amount of strength, thinking that something would come of this action. Deep down he knew nothing would happen. What would holding this cared accomplish? Nothing besides aching fingers, yet he still did it.

A man who had a black bowler cap and fur coat came through the door looking highly dignified and like he was the most important person in the world. Then there was another man he did not recognize who looked at him with a faraway look. Riley could not believe his eyes when he saw the last man but the blonde haired man who almost killed Ben and him was unmistakable.

"Hello Riley," Ian Howe said to him with a mischievous smile and sneer. He never liked Ian Howe even when, at one point in time, he was on their side. Ian Howe had been Ben's financial overseer for the Templar Treasure expedition. Of course, after they found the _Charlotte_ things went south between Ben and them. That's what happens when someone tries to kill you.

The other two occupants looked into the room and the man with the black bowler cap looked over the collapsed Ben and raised his eyebrows.

"Interesting. if he had long, curly blonde hair and a little bit of hair on his face he would look just like an enemy of mine."

Riley had to blink at what was going on and quirked his eyebrow up slightly at the bowler cap's man's proclamation. He knew why Ian Howe was here, but the other two? And where had that energy blast come from or, dare he say it, _who_?

"Ian…I thought you were in prison. And uh, I don't appreciate the fact that you knocked out Ben and Abigail." It was at this point the man with the burly figure and black bowler hat and the other man with dark brown hair and a malicious look in his eyes found his father's black book and starred at him and the book. The other guy with a hat starred at the book as well. The man with a black bowler hat quirked his eyebrows up and ran his hand over the supple black leather. From what Riley could see the black bowler hat guy's finger lingered over the part of the cover with the inscribed symbol. But he gave the book back to the other guy.

Ian, however, didn't notice the other two occupants' actions and gave a sarcastic smile at Riley.

"I hated the place, too simple and not grand enough for my tastes. Besides, I had some business I needed to attend to, including taking care of a certain Benjamin Gates, his recent wife and you, Riley Poole, because I literally hate all of you for making my life miserable," Ian exclaimed.

Riley had to hold back a gulp and mustered a retort**.**

"Well, you started it when you decided to blow up the _Charlotte_," Riley explained in his well-this-is-your-fault-and-not-mine-so-don't-blame-me voice.

Ian wasn't really happy with him and was about to punch him when he saw the man with dark brown hair motion for Ian to stop what he was doing.

The man with dark brown hair strode up to him and before he knew what was happening he was flung to the wall. He was at least three feet in the air with no rope or anything holding him up. The man had his hand outstretched and Ian was blinking as well but Riley saw the shock register on his face. Briefly Riley saw Ian's fear but he masked it well. A second later Ian really didn't care what was happening, seeing he was getting some results.

"Where did you get this book?" The man with the dark hair asked. Riley could see in his hand a blue ball of energy forming. He really wasn't sure if this was a crazy dream from having too much sugar or if this was really happening. He still had one hand clutching the business card.

He wasn't sure why. For a weird reason the business card was a comfort. Riley knew that he was probably likely to die, considering here was a guy who was going to electrocute him somehow and if he didn't Ian Howe was sure to finish what he started at the _Charlotte_. The other man with a heavier frame and black bowler cap was still looking at his father's black book.

"Uh, my friend got it at an auction a few years back," Riley said.

It was the truth and he wasn't sure what the two people besides Ian wanted. He wasn't even sure why Ian was with them. It was all very confusing and, to be perfectly honest, nightmarish. Here was a traitor and two men who were doing impossible things. It was then he thought he heard a swooping sound outside the windows of the hotel room but ignored it. It was probably just the wind or something. He wasn't going to hide it. He was exceptionally scared and was counting on some miracle to happen.

It was at that moment things got fairly strange, considering that the window that was closed blasted open and there was, to Riley's astonishment, a flying steal eagle outside. He looked closely and could make out that the eagle resembled the gargoyles on top of the Chrysler building. He was going to say something when the man with the black hat's eyebrows shot up and the other man cursed. Ian was even more surprised at the turn of the events and his face paled considerably. Riley was pretty sure his face looked quite the same. He was let go from whatever held him up and fell into a heap but got up quickly to see what was going on.

Things happened rather fast after his initial reaction. A man shot a jolt of energy at the two men, the one with the bowler cap and the one with dark brown hair. Ian however was about to leave the premises and grabbed Riley's father's black book. He was about to protest when a younger man came off the flying steel eagle to stop Ian. A blue energy sprang out of younger man's hands and hit Ian squarely in the back. Of course, Riley saw a fight break out between the man with dark brown hair and the man with the bowler cap against the younger man. To Riley's surprise the younger man had the upper hand until Riley had to blink his eyes and the man with the dark hair took the black book (where had he gotten it from?) and disappeared into nothingness. The younger man starred at the scene and looked back to the older man who swore. It was at this point all the shock from the events led Riley to see nothing but black. He was fainting. His last image however was the older man who had a strikingly familiar outfit consisting of a black trench and black hat.

**AN: I know a bad cliffhanger. But, while you wait please review!**


	8. Unexpected

**AN: Hey there, another chapter is up! So, thank you to all of you who are reviewing! I am glad you are enjoying the story! Once again, I have to thank my wonderful beta-reader ****Blackfluffycloud**** for the superb beta job! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_ **and **_**National Treasure**_ **Disney does and so does Jerry Bruckheimer.**

**Please review and I hope you enjoy thank you!**

**Chapter Eight: Unexpected**

_**Ian Howe's POV**_

He knew his friend Harvey Whitefield was unique but when he joined forces with Harvey's 'friend' things got inevitably more interesting. He was in the Gates plus Riley's room and it was here Harvey lifted Riley into the air. The other man, Maxim, he recalled, looked at the scene with boredom but kept glancing at Benjamin Gates every so often. He had recalled that Ben looked similar to an enemy of his.

He wasn't sure what Maxim's story was but he didn't ask too many questions. He was a man with one objective. Of course, when he saw Harvey lift Riley with ease, no rope, no anything, he was a little beside himself with what exactly he got himself into. Here he thought this was going to be simple for him. Well, he knew Harvey did make things harder than they needed to be.

Of course, a black book made everything so much more complicated as well.

Maxim and Harvey seemed to think that little black book meant something. If he didn't know any better he would say it was some new treasure that his former colleague wanted to get himself involved in. It really didn't surprise him. What did surprise him was that Harvey was doing something that he only saw illusionists or stage magicians do. His head wanted to say that he was dreaming and still in prison but he knew the reality.

Harvey interrogated Riley as to where he got the book from and Riley reported that Benjamin got it at an auction. He could see that Harvey was seething in anger, but still had this faraway look in his eyes. Before he got the chance to ask what in the world was going on the unexpected happened when the window of the hotel room flew open on its own accord.

When this happened he had to blink his eyes because there was a man with what looked like blonde, long curly hair, a leather trench and black hat. There was also a younger man with black hair. But that wasn't what was surprising. What was surprising was if you took away the long hair and five o'clock shadow of the older man he would be a doppelganger for Benjamin Gates.

At this point in time, his head was spinning. The man used whatever Harvey had done to open the door and he knew that he had to get out of the way. He _thought_ he was out of the way when he moved to picked up the black book until he felt an electric pressure hit him squarely in his back. His grip slackened on the book as he fell forwards and he saw it leap into the air. Where the book went he wasn't sure, but the fact that it was in midair surprised him.

His last images were of Harvey and Maxim who somehow were able to disappear into nothingness. He wasn't sure what he got himself in to, all he wanted was revenge but now he wasn't so sure if he could trust his good friend any longer. He started to think that something even bigger than he is was happening. All he knew was to get away right now, before he got into any more danger.

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_**Balthazar's POV**_

_Earlier that evening at the Arcana Cabana II…_

Balthazar was contemplating when the younger man would enter his store, because he got the feeling that he would come by tonight but as the hours passed those thoughts left him and Balthazar felt that something was out of place. He had placed on his business card, for whatever reason, a danger spell. A charm, if you will. Thank goodness he did.

It was a charm that triggered when the person holding the card was in a state of deep distress. It would activate its counterpart (which he had in his pocket) to give the address of where the person in distress was. Useful it seemed because when he pulled out his counterpart an address was written, and not the address of the store.

It was a hotel address because it had a room number and floor on it. Look like they needed a ride. He looked over to his apprentice who was working on one spell or another. He looked back at his card and a red ink in a highly stylized calligraphy wrote…

URGENT!

And there was the Morganian pentacle on it, which meant Morganians were nearby. He ground his teeth.

Dave looked over at him. Balthazar could see that Dave understood he was needed. First, though, they had to get a certain ride. Veronica and Becky were with them as well but he wanted Veronica and Becky to stay where they were, he had a feeling that they would be needed here when they came back. He wasn't sure how he knew it but something told him that whatever was going on an old associated of his would be there, with, or without, magic.

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_**Dave's POV**_

He really should have known by now that sorcery always had an inherit mysticism in it because it would seem that Balthazar always knew things. Not like mind reading or anything but where danger was concerned here he was teleporting with Balthazar (he still wasn't used to that, and considering his master needed his help as well, teleporting took a lot of magic). Balthazar stretched his hand out to awaken, the steel eagle they faithfully have used for the past few months travel around the city when using the Phantom wasn't the best option.

"Where we off to? And please don't tell me that Horvath has his cane because we have wards…" Dave started to tell Balthazar.

Dave saw that his master looked back at him and had a firm expression on his face.

"No, it's not that. Remember when I changed my car when I picked you up?" Balthazar asked his apprentice.

Dave could sometimes barely hear what was going on as the steel eagle, in all it's majestic splendor, soared through the night. Dave could see they were heading towards his school, NYU, and there was Hilton not far off. Dave had a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Yeah, what does that incident have to do with anything?" Dave asked. Knowing his master, he would learn later on. He was proven right when Balthazar answered him.

"Well, as I changed my car I left a little present for the younger man in what I assumed was the Gates car and before you ask too many questions, because I will answer them later, just be prepared that Horvath will probably be where we are going. Expect the unexpected."

Dave listened to his master and nodded his head in determination. Of course, he wasn't so sure if taking the steel eagle was the greatest idea, considering it wasn't exactly low profile or anything. But knew that his master, in all his infinite wisdom and experience, knew what he was doing. Balthazar took out a small card. Dave looked closely and saw that it was a business card that was lighting up a greenish color.

It got brighter as they had the eagle climb and swoop to a particular window where Balthazar used his magic to will the window open. The window, obviously, obeyed and a gust of wind entered the room as the steel eagle flapped its wings. Dave had no idea how his master was able to keep the eagle steady but looked on to the room where he saw the familiar figure of Horvath, a dark haired man, and a blonde haired man who looked like one of those guys on the FBI's most wanted list. To the other side, Dave paled, there were the two motionless forms of Benjamin and Abigail Gates. The third person, Dave tried to remember his name, was getting up shakily.

It was at this moment that he saw the dark haired man go for the man who was shaking and he sent a plasma bolt to the head. Balthazar had Horvath already covered. It seemed that his master was being fair only fighting using crude but effective punches, considering Horvath didn't have his magic with him. But when it came to hand to hand combat, well, let's put it this way, his master did have the upper hand.

The blonde haired man was trying to run but Dave thought it was probably be a smart idea if he stopped him to question him so he got a plasma bolt ready and hit him squarely in the back. The man fell forward. He decided to check on the prone forms of the Gates. He put his index and third finger to their necks to check their pulses. They were weak, but there.

He blew out a soft sigh but then Dave looked over his shoulder to see that Horvath and the dark brown haired man were together and a black book sprang into the dark haired man's hand. Balthazar tried to grab the book but he failed when Horvath and the dark haired man teleported out of the room. He heard his master swear loudly in a lot of different languages that he probably thought of as dead.

He saw at this point that the one man he was trying to identify was the younger looking man from the silver Mercedes he saw when Balthazar picked him up from school. The younger man fainted while he watched Horvath disappear into the air. His master looked over the Gates and he checked the pulse of the younger man. It was still there. His master looked at him and shook his head.

"It looks like our quest for the black book just became complicated. Horvath has a new associate. To add, now we have four civilians in this mess."

Dave could hear that his master was pretty weary and on his toes. He also heard an undertone of anger in his master's voice as well. It was expected of course, they lost the book. Dave really hoped this would not turn into another hunt like they did for the Grimhold. He knew that their loud noises were going to wake up the rest of the hotel but Balthazar had a grim smile on his face.

"Don't worry about the noise Dave, no one heard it. A silencing spell was placed on the surrounding area before we broke in," Balthazar said.

Dave had to hand it to his master, he was prepared. He let out a sigh. The battle wasn't particularly long but it didn't get them anywhere. His master brought out a rope and tied the blonde haired man's arms and legs. He quirked his eyebrows at this, but Dave realized that he might have some information as to where Horvath and the other man would be. Dave looked at the other three bodies and his master gave a heavy sigh.

"We should probably take them back to the store, where Veronica and Becky are. I feel like since these four had the black book in the first place they are already involved, so deleting their memories of tonight isn't going to help us or them," his master said. He brought up the younger man and helped Balthazar with the other three onto the eagle. They flew back to the _Arcana Cabana II_. Dave knew that a lot of explanations and introductions were in order but as they flew through the sky he kept seeing Balthazar look back at the younger man who had brown hair, blue eyes, and black-framed glasses. Somehow, Dave thought, he would get his questions answered in due time.

**AN: Yeah, I'm not making it that easy for you am I? Well chapter 9 will be what I think everybody is waiting for. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and please review! Thanks!**


	9. Introductions and Explanations

**AN: So here is chapter nine and the chapter you are all waiting for! This is a long chapter, than say my other chapters thus far. Once again I have to thank my awesome beta-reader ****Blackfluffycloud**** on a job well done! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_ **and **_**National Treasure**_ **Disney does and so does Jerry Bruckheimer.**

**Please review and I hope you enjoy thank you!**

**Chapter Nine: Introductions and Explanations **

_**Ben's POV**_

The first thing he noticed was that his head hurt. It buzzed like it got hit with an anvil and images from the previous night danced in front of his eyelids. Blue lights, charged electricity, a young man, an elder man. Two people he had never seen and Ian Howe.

Ian Howe!

He got up quickly, only to bump his head and a younger man who was sitting in the room looked up, startled. He wasn't Riley that was for sure. He had black hair, brown eyes and was wearing a plaid shirt and grey jacket. He looked concerned and went to get a cold cloth for him. Ben took in his surroundings. He was definitely NOT in the hotel room.

But as soon as the young man left his thoughts went back to Ian. Ian was out of prison and on the run. The FBI knew this and Ben knew they were going to send a brigade to take him down. But now, he realized, things had gotten even more complicated. He knew he wasn't going crazy but something out of the ordinary happened last night. He remembered a steel eagle. He realized he didn't know where Abby and Riley were. As soon as he started these thoughts he saw the young man come back with a cold cloth.

"Here, uh, I thought you might like this." The kid gave him the cloth for his head. It was a little warm but it felt good. His head was thanking the kid for his wonderful idea.

"Where am I? And where are my two companions?" Ben asked.

The kid told him he was in a shop called the _Arcana Cabana II_ and his companions were in another room and were fine. Apparently they were still out of it and he was the first to wake up. The kid also brought some water for him. He realized, as he looked at the young man, that he looked strikingly familiar to the kid with the umbrella from the other day that jumped into the black Rolls Royce Riley pointed out to him.

He looked around the room he was situated in and noted the hardwood floors, fairly conservative furnishings with a wood frame bed, an oak chest at the foot of the bed, a mahogany drawer, and a simple bronze lamp. He saw the kid was nervous in front of him. When Ben remembered what he saw this kid do last night he felt he should be the nervous one. He shook his head. He wasn't sure if that was even real. The kid saw his movement.

"What's your name?" Ben asked the young man.

Ben had to get down to business, he didn't like being out of the loop. He needed information as to where Ian Howe is and what company he was in. The kid shifted his weight from foot to foot. He did have a name didn't he?

"I'm not sure I can tell you that Mr. Gates, at least not yet. I, uh, will have to check with someone." The boy had a nasally voice and seemed like he was really sorry. But to be honest, why all the secrets? The events of last night were hazy at best but he did remember this boy had a blue energy come out of his hands. He really didn't believe that, there were laws of physics after all. But then he faltered for a moment. The kid knew who he was. Well, that wasn't surprising to be honest. He had found the Templar treasure, which tended to make one well known.

"Look kid, I know you got a name. I don't know why you're being secretive and all." Ben was a little annoyed. He liked having the upper hand in these sorts of situations and in not having the upper hand he felt like he couldn't help the people he needed to help, primarily Abigail and Riley. The kid was about to answer when Ben heard another voice he didn't recognize. It was masculine, sounded a little weary and had a slight edge to it. Definitely, Ben thought, that voice belonged to someone you did not want to get on the wrong side of.

"Dave?" The voice asked.

Ben at least got his answer. The next event to occur was the appearance of a rather outlandishly dressed man in old black slacks, a grayish tunic, a murky green vest and wearing warn and weathered woolen arm warmers. He had long (for a man) dirty blonde hair, and Ben could see the outlandish man had blue eyes. The man had an arrangement of rings on his fingers and looked at the younger boy. He then turned his head to look at him.

"I guess our guest is up."

The boy only nodded. He saw the older man step into the room and walked over to the younger man.

He could hear a few exchanged whispers, and the younger man, Dave, he recalled, left the room. Now it was only him and the other man. There was a chair in the corner and the other man brought it to set it next to the bed and sat down. He looked very weary, tired and exhausted but he looked at him with a curious expression.

"It seems like I need to introduce myself, Mr. Gates, and the predicament you are in."

All Ben could do was think that this guy looked a lot like him, besides the long hair and clothing that is.

"That would seem appropriate Mr...?" Ben asked and the other man waved off the Mr. part.

"Call me Balthazar Blake, Mr. Gates, and it seems a few explanations are needed." He could only nod his head to the man with quite out-of-place name as he introduced himself. He got himself into a whole new mess it seems.

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_**Riley's POV**_

Riley realized that he was not on the comfortable beds at the Hilton, nor was Ben poking him to get up, or was hearing the usual banter between Abigail and Ben in the morning. Then he remembered what happened the night before as images came and went in his vision. He spooked himself into waking up and opened his eyes. It was blurry when he opened his eyes. He needed his glasses and searched for them and found them on a side table next to the bed he was on. He picked them up to put them on.

He could see again, and he could also see he was in a place he was not familiar with. There were wooden floors. A window was located to his right where light white cotton curtains were blowing in the wind, the sun shining behind them. White painted walls were adorned with dark wood accents. Charming, Riley could use that word to describe where he was. If he thought about it there was an old world charm to it. That brought a frown to his face.

He saw in another bed was Abigail and in the corner was a young blonde headed girl sitting in a wicker chair. The young girl was quite cute, if he did say so himself. He smiled at her and when she saw that he was awake, she was a little surprised. He noticed that she had blue eyes and a cute and chic look to her. Though, to be honest, she was probably a bit too young for him.

He saw a younger man jog up to the blonde and they exchanged a few whispers and the Blonde looked out the door. It was then the younger man looked at him and he looked back. The younger man had black hair and warm brown eyes. He looked a little awkward, not unlike himself at some times. He was wearing some plaid and had blue jeans on. The guy asked the girl something and she nodded her head as the boy left the room. She came over to him.

"You need anything? From what I heard you had an eventful evening last night," the young woman said to him. It was a cute feminine voice with a very charming ring to it. Really cute, he thought. He put on his best smile and turned on the Riley charm.

"Yeah it was eventful. Some water would be nice," he said.

He noticed that the girl was a little confused and shook her head. Maybe he came off a little too strong. The girl left the room and that he saw Abigail's form moving and her eyes opened. She got up slowly to see her surroundings. She was still in what she wore the evening before. So was he, when he examined himself. She seemed a bit confused but then he saw her thinking back to what had happened the night before and stiffen. When her eyes found his she relaxed, if just a bit.

"Where are we Riley?" she said in her crisp Anglo-German accent. How did she think he would know? Right, she passed out before he did.

"Don't know, but I do know there is a cute blonde," he said smiling wistfully; Abigail it seemed was rather unimpressed.

"Riley, we're _kidnapped_ and all you can think about is a girl?" Abigail said in her usual sternness and got right to the point.

He wasn't sure if they were kidnapped, so to say. They were given nice accommodation with beds, sheets, and blankets. The girl was going to bring them water. If he listened he heard a conversation going on a little further from their location. He couldn't make out that much. He saw that Abigail was getting out of the bed and looking over the room. For all intents and purposes if this was kidnapping then he kind of liked it. He woke up to a cute girl waiting on him, what was Abigail complaining about?

"Riley, is there a phone next to you or do you still have your cell on you?" she asked him. He saw that there was no phone. Even his cellphone, which is usually on his person, wasn't on him or around him. He shook his head and Abigail looked exasperated. It was at this time the blonde girl came back with water and was startled that Abigail was up. He got up to get the water and said his thanks. The girl could only nod. He knew that the scary declaration lady could be imposing.

"So, why did you kidnap us? For ransom? Some part of Ian Howe's plot? You know you will not get away with this," Abigail started to say and was a little intense. The girl paled.

"You weren't kidnapped," she said quietly but firmly. Abigail raised her eyebrow.

"Oh, and what would you say to taking someone from where they are supposed to be is? Borrowing?"

Riley heard some footsteps and the younger man came back. He looked really tired and saw that Abigail was up and looked between the younger woman and Abigail. Then it seemed Abigail turned her attention to the younger man with black hair. The younger man seemed a little irked.

"Can you tell me what's going on here? She says that you all didn't kidnap us when you obviously took us from our hotel last night," Abigail said. The boy's shoulders rose up in surprise and he spoke to the blonde girl next to him.

"Uh**,** Becky, I think it might be best if I handle this until... you know _he _is done talking with Mr. Gates."

Riley realized that for all intents and purposes that he forgot to think about Ben and Abigail's questions flew out the window.

"Where's Benjamin Gates boy?"

He had his hands in front of him in a sign of peace and opened his mouth. "Look I can't tell you that much right now but we didn't kidnap you. You were taken to keep you safe for starters. Second, Benjamin Gates is fine. He is just in another room because we couldn't fit three beds in this room. Third, that's all I can tell you right now," the boy said and Riley could hear another feminine voice call the younger man. The voice called him Dave, so he had a name. Abigail was going to ask some more questions but he reeled her back. Right now the information the boy, Dave, gave him was enough to satisfy what he needed to know.

He went over to the window to look out onto the street to see where they were. He looked down to the street and saw a black Rolls Royce, the same from the day before and the very same from all those years ago. This was peculiar.

Abigail saw that he was at the window and came over and he pointed to the car. She raised her eyebrows. Riley wasn't too sure what was going on but one thing he knew. It wasn't a coincidence that he saw the same old Rolls Royce phantom twice.

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_**Dave's POV**_

Dave knew after they brought back the three treasure hunters, plus the one other man who was working with Horvath, things were going to get infinitely more complicated. Considering now they had two Morganians and an FBI wanted guy (Dave had looked up the last man, who had a history with the Gates). It didn't help that his master had swore when he lost the black book, which Dave assumed was the guide to Excalibur.

Horvath had returned but at least didn't have his cane back, yet. Dave knew that there was going to be a future plot to get Horvath's cane from the lab but the when and how was still unknown.

Right now, he was following his master's orders to check on the eldest of the group, Mr. Gates. After coming back to the store Dave was tasked, along with Veronica and Becky, to tend to the injuries of the group while Balthazar returned their faithful steel companion. Dave had asked if they should try and find the others but his master had shaken his head and told them that the teleportation spell couldn't be tracked. They would just have to be patient for Horvath and Whitefield's next move. Later, Balthazar had told him they were going to interrogate their other guest, besides the Gates and their friend.

Dave looked on to Mr. Gates and saw that, in some eerie way, Mr. Gates looked a lot like his master, Balthazar, except when it came to his hair and dress. The same facial structure and intensity surrounded Mr. Gates as it did with his master Balthazar. It was a little frightening to be honest but then he saw his eyes pop open and he sat up and hit his head. He had to hold back a hiss of pain. Dave thought that he should have had the Mr. and Mrs. together but this was the larger bed, unfortunately it was also the room with the beam of wood right by the bed. Dave should know, he slept there a few times when things got…difficult.

It then came to Dave's attention that he should probably get something for Mr. Gates head otherwise it would start swelling and would hurt. He thought a cool cloth or a heated cloth would be a good idea. He left the room with Mr. Gates awake, he wasn't sure if he would try anything. Dave doubted it. He probably had a lot of questions as to what happened the night before. Dave knew what that felt like but the problem was, he wasn't on the out and hadn't since that day back at the old _Arcana Cabana_ ten years ago. He knew Becky came into it because of him, he wasn't sure if that was such a good thing or not but after Horvath held her hostage…there was really no going back.

He grabbed a cloth in the bathroom and had some warm, but not hot water, poured onto it and he squeezed the excess off. He could see downstairs that Veronica and Balthazar were discussing something in whispers and Balthazar saw Dave running around. He saw Balthazar kiss Veronica's cheek and head up the stairs. He went back towards Mr. Gates room.

When he returned, he knew this would happen at some point; Mr. Gates wanted answers, like Dave's name. Balthazar had told him early in the morning to keep all answers to the bare minimum. Balthazar wanted them to be in a calm state of mind when explaining things and telling them just after they woke up probably wasn't the smartest idea.

Dave agreed. Of course it got him into a tough situation with a man who could be as imposing as his master. The man was accusing him of secrecy and didn't see why he needed to do it. It was at this point he heard his name being called and in the doorway stood Balthazar Blake, sorcerer of the 777th degree.

Dave wasn't sure what his master was planning but he told him via whispers to check on the other occupants and to make sure they were all right. He explained he was going to tell Benjamin Gates what happened the night before and to get some information regarding why Ian Howe was working with two Morganians. Dave left the room and looked over his shoulder and saw Balthazar grab a chair in the corner manually, without magic. Probably for the best, Dave thought, considering within a short amount of time the whole groups image of the world will be turned around.

Of course, Dave thought in hindsight, dealing with Benjamin Gates was a lot easier than handling his wife. She demanded to know why she was kidnapped and picked on his girlfriend for the answers, when in truth, Becky knew no more than he did. All he told her was it was for safety and that all will be explained in time.

The other occupant in the room, he remembered now as being Riley Poole, looked at him and Abigail Chase-Gates. He was the youngest of the trio and had this look about him similar to Dave, the geeky sort of look Dave mused as he eyed Riley's Converse on the floor. Dave missed wearing flat, non 'old man' shoes. When around Balthazar, wearing the 'old man shoes' was required and if not worn there would be consequences usually involving Tesla Coils being fired off, or a huge amount of reading from the _Encantus_.

But also what was in Dave's mind is the reason why his master looked at Riley a certain way when he was back on the steel eagle. Dave hoped that he wouldn't be kept out of his master's loop for too long. He was his apprentice after all. His master would divulge the information sooner or later because he really hated when his master gave him information on a need-to-know basis.

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_**Ben's POV**_

Ben wasn't sure what to say, or what to do to be honest. Those sorts of thoughts would run through someone's head when your world turned upside down.

What he heard within the past fifteen minutes (was it really that long, probably longer), minus a few questions of his, when the man, no, sorcerer he was told, answered them as best as he could. He sat there listening to the man who told them that book, the black one, led to the Excalibur Sword. Excalibur, the famed sword from Arthurian legend was a reality.

Sorcery, magic, the supernatural, it was all real, just hidden from the view of civilians. The man explaining all of this to him was really over 1300 years old and magic was involved to keep him from aging till he found the Prime Merlinian. Benjamin Gates found out through Balthazar the prime Merlinian was his apprentice (the boy with black hair, Dave, he recalled the boy's name being) and now Balthazar was on a normal track to age one year from his thirty five year old (weary) looking body.

Well, Balthazar did certainly look good for his age. Ben had to shake his head. All of this couldn't be real but what could he say to counter his own argument? He had seen what happened with his own eyes and was not going to disown his sight, even thought one's eyes could deceive you. His logic dictated that this man, Balthazar, was telling him the truth. Problem was that he _may_ be telling him the truth but it didn't mean he had to trust him. After all, the guy admitted he was a sorcerer. Ben could be turned into a toad for all he knew, or even a pig.

As he was listening to Balthazar speak, Ben was thinking he was having one of those dreams within a dreams. That Abby, Riley and him were back at the hotel and sleeping and would tour the city when they woke up. Of course, he knew that was futile considering he was a man of intelligence and realizing that he was unconsciously pinching himself to know that he was much to his dismay, awake. This was no dream, Ben sourly thought.

The other man, Balthazar, noticed that he had stopped listening to him speak. Balthazar had an eye for details; he had to give him credit for that.

"Mr. Gates?" the sorcerer asked.

One would believe that he would have jumped out of his bed, grabbed his friends and ran if they were in the same predicament. Logic dictated that this other man was insane and that he should go, leave, and never come back. The problem was, as a treasure hunter, people laughed at him. His family was the laughing stock for believing in a treasure that to some 'purely did not exist', how could he write a man off who truly believed in what he practiced or said?

And Ben had to admit that the guy had style from what he could remember. He couldn't write this man off because he had seen what he had done with his own eyes.

"What do we do now? From what you told me Riley's book was taken." Ben wasn't sure how the man had sidestepped the issue of the black book being in Riley's possession. Or the fact that it was Balthazar's friends first.

From what he was told, Balthazar's friend, a guy by the last name Opoel, was murdered by the guy who was with Ian and the other man who he had come to known as Maxim Horvath. Apparently, Maxim Horvath was an enemy of Balthazar's and bad news. The other was a bad guy, as Balthazar put it, and Balthazar paled when he thought about this. He did not believe Harvey Whitefield to be worth his effort because he was a low level Morganian and it was only recently Balthazar found out he had killed Mr. Opoel and his family from a car crash and apartment fire. Those events sounded eerily familiar. His head buzzed as he tried to remember where he heard similar events occurring to someone he knew.

Benjamin saw a certain look in Balthazar's eyes as he mentioned his friend's name. He didn't have a comfortable feeling in his stomach from the way he looked at him.

"You said you got the black book at an auction?" Balthazar asked.

Benjamin could see he was plotting something. He hadn't known the man that long, but from his talk with him he saw that Balthazar was intelligent and had a lot of ingenuity. So, when he asked him this question he was a bit puzzled.

"Yes. I'm assuming the objects were from your store before…the ten year sentence you said you were in." Benjamin, when he heard that part of the story was a little disquieted when Balthazar told him his quest to find the Prime Merlinian. Balthazar told him how that escalated to a small ten year old Dave coming into his shop and Balthazar ending up in an urn for ten years, later to be release and find Dave again and destroy Morgana Le Fae, the most evil being the world had ever seen.

Really? This all sounded like a B-grade fantasy picture with some big action hero star playing the lead but he had to put that aside. The sorcerer, Balthazar, owned an antiquities store now and the former's lease was up when Balthazar entered his sentence. The book was taken and he bought it. Now he regretted ever attending that auction.

He saw the sorcerer give him a calculated look. He didn't like it. Ben wanted to trust this man, but when he said he was a sorcerer and could do _real_ magic... one wasn't so keen on completely trusting a stranger, even if he or she did treat them well.

"Yes, well that wasn't planned," Balthazar said and Ben could detect an undertone of exhaustion and weariness. Ben had the feeling this guy, for too long, only had one thing to rely on, and that was his own person. That wasn't good for anyone, psychologically or physically. He wanted to not trust this man but it seemed he wasn't so sure. The man, after all, had brought them to his home. A kidnapper didn't do that, usually they went to some warehouse where no one would find them. He saw that Balthazar had gotten up and was looking for something, and then he pivoted and asked him a question.

"What is your friend's _whole_ name**,** Mr. Gates?"

He knew that Balthazar knew Riley's first name, but he wasn't sure why he needed to give him his last name. It wasn't like Riley was actually related to his friend was he? They didn't even have the same last name. Poole and Opoel. They were completely different surnames. He got up and stretched his legs, they ached a little. At this Balthazar quirked his eyebrows, he pretended not to see it and answered the sorcerer's question.

"Riley Poole. And why, if I may ask, do you need to know?" Benjamin was getting a little impatient because the sorcerer never showed him his friends or Abigail when he had asked. All he told them was that they were fine, in another room, and they were sleeping and no harm would come to them. Famous last words if there were any.

He saw that Balthazar picked up what he assumed to be some parchment, not paper, and had a pen in his hand. What a bridging of traditions. He wrote down Riley's last name

_P-O-O-L-E_

But Ben then saw him rearrange the letters.

_O_

And he saw Balthazar cross off one of the o's in Riley's last name.

_O-P_

The same with the P

_O-P-O_

And again, and again till Ben saw**:**

_O-P-O-E-L_

Ben would think that most people would come to the conclusion that this meant something. Ben, on the other hand, thought it was a coincidence that Riley's last name had the same letters as Balthazar's friend. It seemed that Balthazar knew this was coming and left the room and told him to stay put.

Ben was about to give Balthazar a piece of his mind when the sorcerer returned with a photograph. It was a candid and he could easily make out Balthazar but the man beside him... well, he spot on looked like his friend Riley Poole if only a bit older and a little more stern. Otherwise, same style hair, facial structure, ears, and even shortness. The only difference was that his eyes were different colors than Riley's. Balthazar looked at him and Ben looked down at the picture. He wasn't sure what to say or what to think but the only thing running through his mind was what in the world is he going to tell Riley? Or Abigail for that matter?

Balthazar looked at him and had a grim smile**.**

"Why don't we have some breakfast Mr. Gates and we'll tell the rest of your friends what is going on?"

He saw that Balthazar walked out of the door.

**AN: I know I am evil for not putting Riley and Balthazar meeting in here, but it is coming don't you worry. Please review! Thanks!**


	10. Balthazar's Ruminations & Ian's conclus

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_** or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do! I am just writing this for fun!**

**Chapter 10: Balthazar's Ruminations and Ian's conclusion**

_**Balthazar's POV**_

Balthazar realized that he was potentially putting three or four civilians into this whole affair. He wasn't sure if he was going to mind wipe or leave them be after this event blows over. The three of them were in the news because they found the famed Templar Treasure and the other was a criminal in the FBI's books. But, one of them was his friend's son. He was one hundred percent sure and he had to explain to all of them what is going on. Including Veronica, Dave, and Becky.

The problem was getting more people involved in one's affairs typically did not end well. Rebecca, or Becky, Dave's girlfriend, was used as leverage for Dave to give Horvath Merlin's dragon ring and the grimhold. Luckily things worked out the way they did or otherwise she would have been dead. Balthazar had conceded in the end for Becky to know about everything because she was good for Dave and vice versa. From what he heard it was because of her note that Dave had appeared in his shop all those years ago. Fate, it seemed, had played its part in that setting.

As it seemed with Mr. Gates and company, who were all currently residing in the apartment above the _Arcana Cabana II_. After they flew from the hotel, Balthazar had left Becky, Veronica, and Dave to deal with them while he returned the eagle back to its respective home. After cursing a great deal because he let the black book out of his grasp, Horvath got away, and Mr. Opoel's murderer was loose. Now they had time to regroup and reconvene. It gave the attacker time to plan to get Horvath's cane back and time to catch them off guard. He had to deal with three civilians, one who had no idea about his past besides his parents dying prematurely.

As he saw Dave running around the halls upstairs he was pretty sure that was a sign that someone was up and awake. The time for explanations, it would seem, was drawing nearer.

He looked up and saw Veronica and whispered he was going to be right back and return shortly. At least, that is what he hoped.

He grabbed the banister and walked up. He left his favorite leather trench downstairs, it was going to be rather _interesting_ conversation and there was no need to look even more out of place than he did already.

He knew that he never dressed in what was fashionable for this era but neither was it so out of place it would put him into an unpleasant situation. He creaked up the stairways and started hearing a raised voice, one that was a bit unfamiliar.

Balthazar frowned. The raised voice now was louder than he was comfortable with. He then saw one of the rooms opened with Dave in it. He knew where Dave was that the source of the raised voice would also be. He saw Dave and turned to his right and in the extra bed there, wide awake and eyes staring at him, was Benjamin Gates.

Balthazar took his attention off his guest, and spoke to Dave who nodded his head. He came forward to Dave to tell him to check on the other guests as well. Dave left the room. He saw an empty chair in the corner and grabbed it. Mr. Gates, it seemed, wanted some explanations, and he would get them.

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_**Ian Howe's POV**_

_In the cellar of the Arcana Cabana II in an old storage closet…._

He was awake and cold. Those were his first two thoughts. He saw that his hands were tied but his feet were not. He was in a small, inadequately lit room. He was lying on a rather uncomfortable cot. He was underneath a stairwell of some kind or in a storage closet, considering it wasn't large to begin with.

As he was orientating himself with his surroundings the events of the past twenty four hours whirled in his head from the blurred energy bolts, to the lifting of Riley into the air, to the steel eagle outside the windows that were forced open somehow, and now to his dismay at his capture. And here he thought this was going to be a piece of candy by taking the Gates plus the other guy unarmed and by surprise.

He was never so wrong in his life. He could make out that there was movement upstairs, but couldn't hear anything besides footsteps or creaks in the floor. Ian frowned; he saw that there were no distinguishable elements in the room besides everything being made of wood or brick. A light chain hung a few feet in front of him.

He had thoughts plague his mind telling him he was still in prison but the room was a different one than he had been in. He knew this to be untrue. But, he had more questions than fright. Why? His friend had kept something from him and abandoned him for his own safety. Granted, he would do the same if he was in the same boat but still one would think that being friends since their younger years one would help the other. It seemed that sometimes being a villain did have its downside.

Ian thought as he stared at the wooden door. After all that had happened last night he wanted to know who that man was on the steel eagle, why his friend abandoned him, and why the black book was so important to his friend to begin with that he would run off with that shady character, Maxim Horvath.

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_**Balthazar's POV**_

He explained more than he thought he would. He started off rather bluntly by telling that Mr. Gates his wife and his friend were in danger.

That was stating the obvious.

Mr. Gates snorted at this, realizing that he didn't need to be told what happened the night before. He nodded and thought that skirting the issue wasn't going to help. The blunt route would have to do. He told him who he was besides his name and that he was a sorcerer of the 777th degree. That he was originally one of Merlin's three apprentices and then that story had expanded into including Dave's story as well. Then, telling him about the black book, Excalibur, and eventually Horvath as well.

As he progressed through his planned speech at different times Mr. Gates jaw dropped and would lift up again, only after a few seconds passed. His eyes, from what Balthazar could see, held Ben's thoughts in their depths. He saw it before. At first Mr. Gates believed him to be a nutcase, lying, and was insane. The last part, well…he was a little, as Dave found out back in Chinatown. But slowly, as he explained more and more, and even did a little demonstration, he had Mr. Gates speechless. He would have had an amused smile on his face but knowing the circumstances were far less humorless he kept a stoic face and got down to business.

Mr. Gates after awhile held his own questions, and he answered to the best of his ability. Some were simple like how could he be Merlin's apprentice; the reply, magic. It would seem Ben was dubious but had rather accepted easier than he would have believed. Other questions were how did he know about the black book and he went into that whole explanation about his friend who was murdered.

It was at this point Mr. Gates eyes furrowed as he told about the tragic deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Opoel and how their son was left without any relatives or parents. It would seem that Mr. Gates greatly sympathized with his loss considering he knew someone who had been through the same.

This was where things were going to get interesting.

Their talk progressed into his ten year sentence in the urn and how the book got out of his possession, to the auction, and finally to Ben telling him the black book originally belonged to his friend's father. It was at this point that he had to tell Ben the connection with his friend and magic and walked over to find some paper. He found parchment that would work and saw there was a pen. He would have preferred a quill for parchment but a pen would have to do.

Ben had wondered what was he doing and Balthazar spelled it out for him letter by letter. By the end Ben had been rather certain that it was a coincidence. In his experience there was no such thing as a coincidence.

He knew further proof would be needed and that is when he remembered the one photograph he had of his friend and himself. He left the room and told Benjamin to stay where he was; he found the photo in his and Veronica's room in an old photo journal of his and grabbed the photograph. He came back and showed it to Benjamin Gates. The man in the picture (besides himself) was stern looking but had boyish features and short rounded hair. He wore thick-framed glasses in the picture.

The picture looked almost like a mirror image of the younger man under Becky's and Dave's care. He saw Ben pale and explained that having breakfast would be a good idea, as well as when they were going to tell everyone else what was going on.

Balthazar's impression was that Benjamin Gates was weary of him but right now Ben would have to trust him.

He left the room, not sure if Mr. Gates would be following him or not. He saw Dave was flushed and explained to him the other two were up. He told Dave to tell them breakfast was ready and that all questions will be answered at that time. He saw how dubious his apprentice was but right now he was hungry and his nerves needed a large mug of strong, black coffee. He was supposed to keep magic a secret and now it was going to be out in the open for three (or really four) civilians.

The other would be dealt with later, after he had his coffee.

**AN: I am sorry for the long update and for the short chapter! Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner, but in the meantime check out my other stories and please review! Thanks!**


	11. Breakfast at the Blake's

**AN: Many thanks to my beta-reader ****Fluffyblackcloud****! Who managed to get this done pretty quickly! You are amazing! Anyways, please enjoy and this is longer than the previous chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice **_**or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney or Jerry Bruckheimer do!**

**Chapter 11: Breakfast at the Blake's**

_**Dave's POV**_

Sometimes he felt like his master asked for the impossible to happen. He had told Mrs. Gates and Riley that breakfast was ready and if they needed to brush their teeth or wash their faces there were extra toothbrushes and towels ready for them in the guest bathroom. Riley was about to leave when Abigail pulled him back and asked Dave what they were playing at. Being extremely nice hosts only to then kill them?

Dave brought in reinforcements. Since Veronica and Balthazar were busy he brought in Becky. The two of them tried to convince Mrs. Gates they were not trying to dupe them, that it was honest. He even showed her the bathroom for her own protective measures. She finally let in. Dave gave a large sigh; she really was a scary lady, sometimes even scarier than Balthazar.

And that was saying something.

Dave looked up when the guest bathroom door opened and saw the younger man known as Riley Poole. He asked what in the world was going on and all Dave told him was it would be explained during breakfast. Riley seemed content with the answer. Mrs. Gates still glared daggers at him. He brought them downstairs where Dave saw they had expanded the normally small table (with magic of course). Riley's eyes dropped and Mrs. Gates eyebrows rose in surprise.

Dave could see why.

There was fresh orange juice, grapefruit slices cut, eggs on a platter, sausages, bacon strips, and even some toast (specialty bread it seemed). Dave knew that Balthazar and Veronica never made such large breakfasts. This was done out of stress and having company, while also having to explain something extremely complicated.

It was a measure to show that they meant no harm at all. Dave could see Riley had a small smile on his face. Abigail was frowning but sat in the empty chair. Dave could see that neither of them could see into the kitchen because the door was closed. Dave knew that Balthazar and Veronica would reveal themselves in time.

Dave turned around and saw the remaining member, Mr. Benjamin Gates, and he stared at him. Dave knew his master gave him the breakdown of the situation and said nothing to him. Dave moved aside and Abigail wrapped her arms around Ben.

"You're safe!" Abigail exclaimed.

Dave could see a slight smile on Ben's face as he patted his wife on her back.

"Yes, I'm safe. Why, were you worried?" Ben said. Dave saw that Abigail just liked to be in Ben's arms. Riley got up and patted his friend's back. They all seemed content for just a second until Benjamin's smile faded. He moved from his position and sat next to Riley. Dave saw an unfamiliar look come across Ben's face when he looked at his friend. Dave saw that Riley didn't notice the look on his friend's face

There was a pot of coffee on the table and Ben poured some into a mug at one of the place settings. Abigail sat across from her husband and drilled him for the details. She wasn't putting any juice in her glass, pouring any coffee, or grabbing any food to put on her plate. She was looking at it as if it was poison and shot glances towards her friends to let them know she didn't like this situation.

Ben, on the other hand, told her that everything was fine and safe to eat. In terms of details he told them that they would find out soon enough about what was going on. Abigail, it seemed, wasn't pleased. It was at that moment the kitchen door opened up and Dave looked up to see his master reasonably groomed.

He had shaved his five o'clock shadow a bit, wore a different set of murky brown trousers, a dark tunic, a murky green vest (he seemed to have a few of those) and his grey arm warmers. Veronica wore black slacks, a murky maroon sweater. She had a small smile on her face while she brought out some morning pastries. Balthazar, from what Dave could tell, was ready to get down to the main reason all of them were here.

Dave saw Abigail starting to stand up but Ben told her Balthazar could be trusted and motioned for her to sit back down. Dave took a quick glance towards Ben and saw weariness in Ben's eyes directed at his master. He saw his master sat at the end of the table. Dave slowly made his way to sit next to his master. Riley was on his master's right, he on Balthazar's left. Two seats down was Abigail, and Becky took the middle seat. Veronica put down the morning pastries and sat down at the other end. Ben sat down next to Veronica and across from his wife.

Riley looked at Balthazar in puzzlement and deep thought. Dave shrugged his shoulders.

The whole table was silent. No one moved an inch.

Balthazar cleared his throat and looked on to the table; he grabbed the pot of black coffee and poured it into the mug in front of him. He took a sip and everyone eyed him. He knew his master needed his coffee before pandemonium ensued.

Dave thought if a pin was to drop that everybody would be able to hear it because of how silent the room had gone.

"I am guessing all of you, besides Mr. Gates, would like to hear some answers as to why you are here and what happened last night back at your hotel," Balthazar stated. He looked at everyone with a calculating look. Ben, from what Dave knew, was already informed to at least a certain degree. The extent Dave wasn't too sure about.

Balthazar sighed and looked at Dave, Becky, and Veronica, eyeing them carefully. Dave knew they seconds away from a maelstrom of commotion.

"**Let's start with introductions. My name is Balthazar Blake and I am a sorcerer of the 777****th**** degree." As Balthazar finished his introduction Dave saw gaping looks from Riley and Abigail who looked at the other occupants of the table.**

Benjamin squirmed a bit in his seat. Abigail was looking at him with the obvious look saying 'This guy is a complete maniac, Ben, and why are you sitting there saying nothing?' After a few seconds it seemed there was no progressing of any speech by anyone.

It felt like forever until someone said something.

And he was the one to mutter a word after the silence.

His master had a grim smile on his face as he opened his mouth.

"I'm Dave Stutler, Balthazar's Apprentice and the Prime Merlinian."

Dave could see a small proud smile adorn Balthazar's face before the smile turned back into a grim expression.

Dave was pretty sure that didn't help matters much.

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_Elsewhere…._

_**Horvath's POV**_

Why he collaborated with Harvey Whitefield he wasn't sure. They had a quick getaway from the hotel the previous night. Horvath saw that Harvey was still sleeping. It took a large amount of magic to teleport one person and two was even more. Harvey, from Horvath's calculations, wasn't that high of a degree, so for his companion it was even more taxing.

In the end his quick thinking to teleport out of an almost impossible situation helped him, considering that he was astounded that Balthazar and his nerdy apprentice had found him and without his cane, he was vulnerable.

He didn't like it one bit.

He felt like nothing without his cane. The magic he could use was pent up and without a conductor he was next to useless. He couldn't even win in a fistfight that was Balthazar's forte. He had been a noble, where _that_ sort of activity was less desirable, and Balthazar was…Balthazar. He shook his head as he heard a rustle of movement.

Harvey had transported them to an abandoned building with a mattress it seemed. Rather underwhelming for his tastes but it would have to do. He also realized they were one man short.

He frowned.

This was not good, considering Balthazar and his apprentice Dave had gotten to Harvey's friend. He would ask questions as to where his friend's friend went.

Horvath, in all his infinite glory, had gone along thinking that Harvey would attempt to enter Dave's lab so he could get his cane back but, of course, it was futile, considering Harvey had another friend who wanted revenge.

He went along because what else did he have?

He was outnumbered three to one. Balthazar, Veronica, and Dave, those were not odds he liked, especially since he had a handicap.

He was wrong, he should have sought out the cane alone, but he needed the magical help. He looked up any other Morganians outside Manhattan and was brought to a low level (barely 200th degree) Morganian who did more street crimes than anything. Though, apparently he was told he killed a rather high degree Merlinian named Daniel Opoel a 560th degree sorcerer and his wife a good decade ago. He had planned to kill the whole family, but the kid wasn't there the day he attacked. He found out why.

Mr. Opoel was the keeper of the journey book that led to the location of the Excalibur sword. This was intriguing on many different levels. First with Excalibur, it was a sword of magic and any sorcerer could access its power. If he had that sword, it would be the equivalent to his cane.

He smiled. The sword would be Balthazar's and Dave's downfall, and Veronica would see reason with him. This had been why he partnered with Harvey, to get the chance to get back at his rival and too-lucky apprentice. Not to mention he would get at the little blonde Dave seemed to be affectionate towards too. He wanted to make sure nobody was happy in the end because he got his heart broken.

As these thoughts came to pass he saw that Harvey was staring at him.

"Do you have a plan?" Harvey asked.

He stared at Harvey and gave in to his anger. Of all the possible questions he had to ask...

"Do I have a plan? That's a preposterous notion considering, Harvey, you told me this would be, what is the saying you used? Oh yes, 'a piece of cake'. This whole enterprise was to help your friend out. Considering that now not only is the colleague of yours in Balthazar's overly capable hands, we are no closer to getting my cane, nor the black book back from that Ian when we left!" Horvath said quite evenly but with an icy edge.

"Horvath…" Harvey said quite slyly and had a smirk on his face. Horvath was about to yell at Harvey and ask him what is he up to when Harvey slipped a black book into his line of vision.

Horvath was never so happy to see a black book in his life. The only problem now was to open it. The book was enchanted so that it could not be opened nor read, but if he remembered correctly things were not always as they seemed.

"You got the book?" Horvath asked.

Horvath decided he was going to see where this was going to lead. He had the slight inclination that Harvey wanted to have the upper hand; the problem was that Harvey didn't know more than he did. Merlin only told them the basics of the book, but what Harvey, nor did the other apprentices know is that when he was in Merlin's good graces he was sent to King Arthur's court.

It was then Horvath found out a pivotal secret as to how the book works. Yes, magic was used, but King Arthur's blood was put into the book. This was to bind the book to a hereditary, not necessarily to royalty but to a family line and Merlin's magic was used to seal the blood in there. The blood of the current keeper of the book, besides the actual relative could open the book. Which meant one thing, find the keeper of the book and kill them. The book would reveal its secrets with the blood that is shed.

Harvey looked at him as if he grew a second head when he decided to 'play dumb' as Harvey put it. But when he told him this crucial information, Harvey stumbled as well as smiled. They could wait but if they got the blood of Mr. Opoel's son they were in the clear. Harvey told him his thoughts that the younger man, not Dave, but the other, was the relative of Mr. Opoel because, from what Harvey told him, he looked like a doppelganger of his father. Horvath questioned Harvey if he was one hundred percent sure.

A cold blooded death without any information was not going to go over very well with his previous colleagues, nor was it going to help their case.

It was at this point Horvath could see Harvey sweating because he wasn't sure if he was or not, only that he had quite the resemblance to the man he once knew. Harvey thought about it for a moment and he could see his dark brown hair waving in front of Harvey's furrowed eyebrows as he was sitting on the mattress in the dark room. Horvath could see the sun coming up, knowing it was morning and he was tired. Harvey looked at him.

"We have a plan to form," Harvey said as he got up and grabbed pencils and paper that were tucked away in the corner. Harvey looked back at him.

"Horvath, don't worry. We'll get your cane back and we'll kill Balthazar and the apprentice you told me about," Harvey said.

Horvath could only smile. He knew how to bring them down. What Horvath and Harvey both forgot was that this was not a one-sided fight.

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_Back in New York City during Balthazar's and Dave's proclamation _

_**Abigail's POV**_

She wanted to think this was nonsense, total complete craziness and psychopathic. It was preposterous. Not to mention her husband _believed_ the whole explanation as to what happened the night before as was told by the man standing at the table with his blonde curly hair, _Balthazar_.

She truly thought the world had gone mad. She looked at Ben who was shifting in his seat, the woman next to her with ivory skin and black hair was looking up at the man, the younger couple shared knowing looks and Riley was…

Well, Riley was Riley.

He was incredibly quiet during the whole ordeal. His jaw dropped but Abigail could see that Riley was soaking up the information as anyone in the same situation would, except that he wasn't questioning it.

The thing is, the longer she listened the more, how could she describe it, _romantic_ it sounded. Good versus evil that a young boy saved the world from total domination, that there was a map that led to Excalibur.

Excalibur.

If what Balthazar was saying was all true than everybody had everything wrong. She listened, knowing she had to have gone nuts for this whole... whatever one wanted to call it to be happening. Discussion, spiel, delusions of grandeur; it sounded like something out of a movie. The man talking was supposed to be over 1300 years old, the woman, his wife, held within her body the most evil sorcerer of all time in a prison known as the 'grimhold'.

The college student stumbled upon the man's store when he was ten years old to find that he was the Prime Merlinian, or Merlin's successor. She didn't want to get into this Merlin business. The Dave boy unleashed by accident an evil Morganian known as Maxim Horvath, who she found out betrayed Merlin, Balthazar, and Veronica. The whole story blew through what had happened a few months ago to finally talking about the black book.

Her mind was muddled with all this new information. She kept looking at Ben who was sitting there quietly, besides squirming a little in his seat (and he would say to anyone that he didn't though she could see it). Riley was still in a state of shock.

It was when the conversation turned to the black book that things became rather interesting. She dropped her jaw, Riley stared at him, and even the younger couple had to do a double take. What she just heard couldn't even be possible. Ben, on the other hand, didn't look surprised at all. Abigail, one way or another, was going to get an explanation and decided to put her foot down.

"You're insane!" Abigail said. He looked at her with a little amused smile and held up his thumb and forefinger apart about an inch. This was not the reaction she was hoping to get.

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_**Riley's POV**_

This was a dream. It had to be.

Sorcerers, wizards, and Excalibur, it was all real.

Or was it?

He didn't know what to think, say, or do. He wanted to outright deny it, think it is impossible, and his analytical mind wanted to see reason. He wanted to offer a smart retort but the further along the explanations made sense. A little out there but even at times the younger man added his two cents. The younger man, Dave Stutler from what Riley heard, had to, if what Balthazar said was true, have the coolest job in the world, as clichéd as that sounded.

But his brain, as much as it wanted to be immersed in fantasy and tales of romance and good versus evil, wouldn't let him believe the supposed sorcerer. He had get his thoughts in line. Treasure was one thing but this was another different level. He looked at Ben who was staring blankly ahead listening to this conversation with absolutely no expression, besides every so often moving in his seat.

A 1300 year old man and woman, a chosen one who inherits Merlin's powers, a black book his father owned with the clues to the location of the most famed sword in history, Excalibur. It was truly something that a Hollywood screenwriter would concoct and make millions off of. But…

Didn't he hear something similar some time ago? A treasure of all treasures hidden from the world and the only way to find it was to use clues left from the founding fathers, the Free Masons, and all that? He had heard craziness and he believed it. Why shouldn't he believe the same in this situation?

It was when he found out that his father had the book because he was the keeper of it and that his father was a Merlinian sorcerer where everything broke loose.

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_**Ben's POV**_

Ben knew that this wasn't his moment to shine. His friends, from their facial expressions he could see, were in disbelief and had every right to be. Riley's and Abigail's reaction to the last part was quite extreme, especially Riley's.

Ben could see Riley was not going to take this well and he got up. That was when the unexpected happen. Ben was sure that Riley was going to bolt for the door. He was pretty sure of it, but what came out of his friend's mouth, well, surprised him.

"You're my father's well traveled friend aren't you?" Riley asked quietly. The whole table went silent and he was going to add his two cents in but it seemed that it wasn't needed when the man, Balthazar, looked at Riley in the eyes with a sort of amused expression.

"Yes I am, Riley Opoel," Balthazar said.

**AN: So, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and please don't forget to review! Thanks!**


	12. Abigail's reaction & The Plan

**AN: OMG another chapter is up! Okay, so once again many thanks to my awesome beta-reader ****Fluffyblackcloud****! Also, please review! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_** or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do! **

**Chapter 12: Abigail's Reaction and the Plan**

_**Riley's POV**_

Opoel, now that is a name he hadn't heard in a really, really long time. He started to sound like Obi-Wan Kenobi from _Star Wars_. His father, before he left for boarding school, had changed his last name. Riley once asked him why and the response was for his own safety. He never questioned his father, knowing their relationship was already strained. He guessed it was his father's job and he had figured at one point in time his father worked for the FBI or something and that this was a protective measure.

So, this was the man his father had told him about. Every story from childhood came waltzing back into his head. The man's, Balthazar's story, had lined up with everything he knew from what his father had told him. Even the supposed fairly tales of a man traveling for ages to find the one who held a great power. He knew he must have looked pale or sickly. Everybody was looking at him and he couldn't blame them. This was a lot to take in at one time.

It wasn't everyday you hear your father is a sorcerer.

But the question was, why did his father never tell him? It was when Riley noticed the numerous rings on Balthazar's hands it hit him. When he was six the ring his father showed him and how Balthazar explained that the ring was a conductor of sorts to bring the electrical energy from the nervous system to the physical world.

That is when everything went cold. His father never told him because he couldn't perform magic. When his father put the ring into his hands he was waiting for something that Riley couldn't see.

Then for the oddest reason every clue from the book came back into his head. It all made sense now. The problem, Riley found, was that Abigail had gotten out of her seat and was striding towards Balthazar. He also saw Ben get out of his seat. He remembered Abigail's proclamation about Balthazar being insane and he knew Balthazar's reaction to Abigail Chase-Gate's question. The problem, Riley figured, was not the how and the why of the situation at hand but what is going to happen next? Riley knew that soon all hell would break loose between Abigail Gates and this sorcerer of the 777th degree.

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_**Dave's POV**_

Dave sat at the table after his proclamation and saw the atmosphere was tense between the guests and the rest of them. Dave could see that Abigail was in a heavy amount of disbelief, Ben was sitting there staring straight ahead, and Riley…well, after what he was told had the same expression Dave did when he encountered Horvath for the second time in his life. Scared out of his life, yet was chewing on what he had heard.

It makes sense, considering even he would have a hard time thinking his father was something you never believed existed. Sort of how he thought of himself, he still cannot believe he took down Morgana Le Fae with the help from his friends and science. Unbelievable really.

Dave turned to see that Abigail Gates was getting out of her chair after Balthazar's hand gesture to her. His master didn't look worried but Dave could see in his eyes that he had a weary expression on his face as he saw Abigail get closer to him. Dave got out of his seat, as did Veronica and Becky. From what Dave could see this was not going to end well.

Abigail walked briskly up to Balthazar who stood firm where he was standing. Balthazar's blue eyes penetrating with eeriness behind them told someone that he held a great amount of power and mysticism within himself. It was the same look Balthazar had given him when he was on the Chrysler building and had been told he had a special gift and he needed to realize that.

Abigail, it seemed, was the stubborn type. She looked back at him with her own penetrating stare. Benjamin got up and tried to intervene, knowing that his wife had a stubborn streak within her and that this could all end badly. After all, Dave reasoned, he was pretty sure Ben didn't want anything bad to happen to his wife…like her turning into a pig.

"Abigail, I know this seems a bit outlandish, but remember..." Ben was going to finish his sentence when Abigail looked at him.

"Benjamin Gates, it is one thing to believe in treasure but truly, Ben, you believe this man? For all we know he could be working with Ian Howe and all of what happened last night could have been from having us on drugs or something similar. Look at me, Ben," Abigail said to her stubborn husband. The look she received however were eyes that told her that Ben believed what this man is saying.

Balthazar watched the proceedings with a knowing eye, realizing that when one grew up with one belief, to believe something greater is out there is hard for an individual to take in.

"I wouldn't give you any drugs Mrs. Gates…I would have other _methods_ to take you out," Balthazar proclaimed looking directly at Abigail.

Dave could see that Abigail had a calculating look on her face. She was thinking fairly hard. Then she had a small smirk form on her face, the kind of look someone would give when they believe they have won a contest or game.

All the while, the person who a minute ago was the center of attention was now fading to the background. Riley, Dave saw, was walking towards the proceedings and was rummaging in his jacket for something. Dave wanted to know what when his attention snapped back to what was happening between his master and the Gates.

"Mr. Blake, if you are truly what you say you are then you should be able to prove it," Abigail said, all the while she had a self satisfied smirk on her face, believing she had the upper hand.

Dave had to choke back a laugh considering his master, from what Dave saw, had the upper hand already, considering he was a master sorcerer. Abigail, it seemed, needed to have visual evidence. Dave could see Balthazar thinking. Dave would think his master would have a smirk and levitate a few objects but looked over Mrs. Gates intently.

Dave could see his master's eyes looked up to the second level and his ring was glowing. Dave wasn't sure what his master had up his sleeve. All of a sudden the room got dark, not like light out darkness but the lights lowered and nobody touched the light switch. Dave could see, slowly but surely, a book float into his master's hands. When Balthazar received the book he flipped through the pages intently looking for something. Dave finally saw Balthazar stop flipping and looked up at Mrs. Gates. During this time span candles that were unlit in the dining room slowly flickered into life as flames licked at the wicks of each one. Balthazar put down the book on the table with a certain page opened up with a picture on it.

The picture was, from what Dave could see, a picture of Lancelot, a knight of the Round Table. Abigail stared at the picture.

"Lancelot, knight of King Arthur's Round Table from Arthurian mythology was _your _favorite character, was it not, Mrs. Gates?" Balthazar asked and Dave could see a small smirk on Balthazar's face.

Dave knew at times his master could be eerie with how he knew certain facts or places (like finding him at Marcy subway station or the other subway station when he was with Becky). This was one of those times. Everybody held their breath. Abigail could only stare and look back at him.

"Lucky guess," Abigail said, trying to wave it off. Balthazar knew better and looked at her evenly.

"You and I, Mrs. Gates, both know that that is a false statement," Balthazar said closing the book as the lights came back and the the candles flickered out, seemingly by themselves.

Dave saw all the bravado leave Abigail at that moment as Ben just looked on to what happened. Riley did a double take and pointed.

"Did you just do that?" Riley asked, his amazement evident in his voice.

Dave could see that a longer talk was coming. That was till Veronica came over and spoke.

"Don't you think we should include our other guest Balthazar?" Veronica said to her beloved and Balthazar looked over the group.

"I suppose we should visit Mr. Howe, shouldn't we?" Balthazar asked his guests. Riley, Abigail, and Ben stared at him.

Yeah, Dave knew this was going to be a very long day**,** considering it had only begun.

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_**Harvey Whitefield's POV**_

"We'll storm the lab. I have my ring so I can work the wards off. It will take awhile, considering they will be powerful, but we won't make it easy for them. We need to set a trap. The black book will be the trap. We'll have them let us in and we'll set the book so they can see it. You grab your cane and shabam! We will take the book back and kill the brats and Balthazar."

Harvey said this to Horvath with vigor. He was exited; he knew his plan would work.

Horvath, it seemed, was not amused.

"Do you forget, Mr. Whitefield, that they might not enter the lab without any reason? I doubt Balthazar will keep training the boy while he has guests over. I think the better way is to go direct. Their new store is where we will hit. We'll do it the old fashioned way, we'll kidnap the young man that is Mr. Opoel's son. That way I have leverage for my cane. After all, Balthazar and company won't let some little man's life slip," Maxim Horvath stated. Harvey frowned.

He was walking in the chamber they had and breakfast burrito bags were laid to the wayside. Sketches of plans were drawn and crumpled in various parts of the room.

"Horvath, the plan has its merits but how exactly are we going to kidnap Riley?" Harvey asked.

Harvey could see a small smile form on Horvath's face.

"Mr. Whitefield, can you do a transformation spell on your person?" Horvath asked. Harvey knew the spell. It was a difficult one but he would be able to manage. Or he hoped. He didn't think Horvath needed his magic to kill him.

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_**Balthazar's POV**_

Many would be surprised of the things he knew, that someone would believe him omniscient or something. He snorted. He took in details and Mrs. Gates was wearing a bracelet on her wrist. Most people would think of it as an intricate European design the meaning lost over time, However, the symbol on the bracelet, if one knew history, was the supposed seal of Sir Lancelot and the round table. That is how he guessed, knowing she was a woman of history and having a supposed artifact of history would be of interest for her.

He was expecting that visual proof would be needed, that is why he lowered the lights and brought the candles to life. He played the omniscient card to grab her attention; everybody else though would go along for the ride. He hoped Dave, Veronica, and Becky would think differently.

He saw that she was convinced, if only after he reinforced that she couldn't lie to him.

She wasn't that good of a liar to start with, not that it was a bad thing.

When Veronica suggested they bring in the fourth member they brought back with him he had to agree. Of course, the rest of the company looked at him with shock and awe, considering he seemingly caught an FBI wanted man fairly easily.

It really wasn't that hard for a sorcerer of the 777th degree.

He saw that Dave and Becky trudged along and everybody followed him. He went down the stairs, past where he kept a secret stash of things in his brick hideout, to a little storage closet and opened it with a wave with his hands. Before he opened it he brought Ben to the front.

"I think it would be easier, Mr. Gates, if you and your friends interrogate Mr. Howe for us, considering it seems you have a history with one another."

Ben, it seemed, would get all the answers he needed as to what Ian was doing here. Balthazar hoped that he would be able to help them; otherwise he wasn't sure what to do.

**AN: So, I know this is shorter than one would like, but I don't want to make the chapters too long. Anyways, please review! **


	13. Ian Knows

**AN: So, another chapter is up yippee! My beta-reader is on a roll! Anyways, many thanks again to the insanely awesome ****Blackfluffycloud****! Who is doing a divine job. **

**Just to let you know on the 20****th**** of this month till the 30****th**** I am going on a trip to Park City, Utah to a little event known as the Sundance Film Festival for a class. So, I might not be updating for a bit, or writing stories, or getting back on reviews since I am required to see at least 15 movies for my class, I have 10 tickets, and 5 I will have to wait in the long two hour wait-list lines. But, I just found out there is a possibility that my favorite actor in the whole entire world, Ewan McGregor is going to be there because he stars in a little movie called, "Perfect Sense," which I am hoping to see and maybe, just maybe squeeze 5 minutes to ask him some questions about the movie and other things. **

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and please, please do not forget to review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice **_**or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do!**

**Chapter 13: Ian Knows**

_**Ian Howe's POV**_

He heard footsteps and muted whispers coming from above him. His hands were still tied together and he lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. He was thinking about what was going to happen to him when he heard a click. He looked over to where the door was and there he saw the face of his old friend, Benjamin Gates. He scowled. Ben, however, looked peeved but walked into the closet.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, Ian," Ben said as he grabbed him by the shoulders and brought him out into the basement.

He saw that Abigail Gates and Riley were with him, as well as some new faces. There was a young man with black hair who was wearing black leather shoes, a geeky t-shirt of some kind, a flannel shirt, and some sort of red jacket. There was a younger woman with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing some cute, younger hipster clothing.

Those two were not who he stared at; it was the other two occupants in the room. There was another man around the age of, or a bit older, than Benjamin. He had dirty blonde curly hair and a face that didn't betray anything. He dressed rather unimpressively but when he looked between Ben and this other man he swore that they looked a lot alike. Eerily similar even.

His mind was playing tricks on him.

There was another woman and she had darker hair and ivory skin. She was quite beautiful. He, however, was pushed into a chair. Abigail and Ben were looking intently at him. Riley, who normally would spout some sarcastic remark about the situation he is in, was a little withdrawn. He frowned. He knew Riley well enough that he would laugh in his face but he was very quiet. Ben, however, was not.

"Okay, Ian, who were you working with last night?" Ben asked. He didn't look like he wanted to take any crap from him, not that he really cared.

"Why does it concern you, Ben. You got me with some…_help_, why don't you call the FBI and then I will be out of your hair. That's what you want, right?" Ian said. He had a slight smirk on his face and saw the other older man in the room step into his line of vision.

"It would be wise if you answered Mr. Gates questions, Mr. Howe, otherwise…things could get a bit complicated," the other man said. Ian could see into his eyes and for some reason it scared him seeing into those blue depths. There was something unseen there. Ian knew this man in front of him was capable of something and he didn't want to know what. To be honest, his features seemed slightly familiar as the events of the night resurfaced. He saw Ben stepping closer to him.

"Look, I don't want any crap from you right now Ian. I want to know the two people you were with and why they took a black book that was mine," Benjamin said. Ian knew exactly who he was with the night before but he wasn't going to tell them that easily.

"What do you mean Ben? I had no idea about a black book and those two people, I wasn't associated with them. They just happened…" Ian suddenly realized that the chair he was in slammed up against the brick wall. It hurt and he saw the older man with his hand outstretched. Things were getting weird. Did that guy just pull a Jedi move on him? It even seemed Abigail and Riley were a little surprised. Ben hid his shock well and just came closer, taking a quick glance at the older man who nodded to him. Ben walked up to him.

"Ian, it would probably be in your best interest to give us the truth. This is bigger than you can imagine. So, for both our sakes, just tell us what you know." Ben said with a hint of steel in his voice. Ian looked over his former friend with disdain.

"Why do you think I should tell you, Ben, when I don't even get any explanations as to whose company you are in? Yes, I wanted my revenge on you Ben. Even you could see that coming. I teamed up with an old friend from my younger days who owed me but he told me he had another _friend_ who he needed help too. I was going to kill you but it seemed my friend double crossed me and fled the scene somehow. They just disappeared into thin air Ben. I must have been hallucinating. It was like…" Ian was going to say another word when Ben said it first.

"Magic," Ben supplied and had a strange look in his eye. Ian glowered.

"Yes, but we all know that does not exist," Ian declared. It seemed the company he was in had a different take on what he had just said. He was pretty sure his enemy would stand by him on that fact. But when Ian thought back to what happened a few minutes ago and the events of last night and the reaction from them all. He stared back at Ben.

"Benjamin Gates, what the heck is going on?" He yelled and asked at the same time. He was starting to panic. He had gotten in way over his head with his friend and the question was how?

Ben looked over his shoulder and saw that the other older man, who looked a lot like Benjamin Gates, come near him. He had a steel look in his eyes and he didn't look very forgiving. All the while Abigail and Riley seemed to get closer to Ben. The other three came as well.

"Let's put it this way, Ian, you're cooperation would be greatly appreciated considering I just want the names and what they are planning," Benjamin said to him. He saw that the other older man looked at him and eyed him carefully.

"To add to Mr. Gates sentiment, Mr. Howe, the situation you are in is quite complicated. Even though a criminal like you should be locked up your help is needed, considering we need to know who you were with and why they needed the black book they took from Mr. Gates." The older man said. Ian saw that he took a glance in his direction and had an amused smile adorn his face.

"Mr. Howe, there are some things in this world that would be letter left unsaid, and this is one of those times," Balthazar said.

Ian wasn't sure what to make of that ominous saying but as he realized this his chair slid forward on its own accord. All the while the older man faintly moved his hand and Ian saw a soft green glow from one of the rings the man was wearing. His mind was trying to add up the situation and was trying to tell him this did not compute but his mind came to its own conclusion. Magic was real and he was in a very dangerous situation. He would regret saying this right now but was a tad bit grateful for at least one familiar face. He looked at the group and scowled.

"I don't know what the hell you got into Benjamin Gates but the names of the two people were my friend Harvey Whitefield and a man who went by Maxim Horvath," Ian said. He believed they were going to stop asking him questions. How wrong he was.

They asked him how he had met them, or his friend Harvey anyway. Especially the older one, he soon learned his name was Balthazar. Ian started telling them his friend had a streak of being sadistic and evil and told him about the murder of this one family, the Opoel's. Ian saw something he never thought he would see. Abigail gasped and then he saw Riley. Riley's face went white. The older man looked at him and Ben looked at him. He wanted answers.

"Ben, what the hell?" He said because he saw the expressions he was getting and he saw Riley take some steps toward him. He saw a look on his face which he never though Riley could even carry. It was a glassy eyed look and the kind of look that could scare anyone and slowly Ian could see a cold hate fill those eyes. It deeply disturbed him. He never thought Riley capable of feeling like that. Okay, he tried to kill Ben, but he never saw such a look from the usually sarcastic sidekick. The words that came out of his mouth though shocked him to his core.

"Your _friend_ _Harvey _killed my parents," he said with venom in his voice. The rest of the group turned to the young computer hacker. He was shocked, Riley Poole wasn't an Opoel, but then he rearranged the letters in his head. Questions ran through his head as to what was going on around him.

This is great. Now he had a murderous, sarcastic, and geeky man who wants his revenge. Ian's attention however was brought back to Ben, where he seemed to get Riley calmed down and Abigail was there as well. It seemed even the other younger members with dark hair and the one with blonde hair and blue eyes came forward to give Riley a hug. However, Balthazar looked at him intently.

"Alright, we have that information, do you know where they are?" Balthazar said to him. Ian realized that he had this look on his face that said to him 'don't-lie-to-me-or-you-might-just-regret-it'. Ian swallowed the lump and told him truthfully that he didn't know but that his friend did mention a little out of the way studio somewhere in the desolated apartments a few blocks away from Greenwich Village. It seemed that was a good enough answer, considering Balthazar left him alone. The woman with dark hair brought him some water and bread. Well, at least they were decent with their prisoners. Ben looked at him akin to pity.

"Ian, I know we aren't on best terms but in that black book is not just any treasure. It's the map to the _Excalibur_ sword," Benjamin said to him.

Now he had heard everything. Ben took him up but left his hands tied. He wasn't sure what his next move was going to be.

He was brought upstairs and was told to sit in a chair and he couldn't move once he sat in it. He thought it might be glue but he saw the older man had a mug of coffee in his hands and his ring was glowing lightly. He had to hold back a shudder. Riley, it seemed, was giving him a hard, cold, and unforgiving stare and was very rigid. He had to give it to himself; he did feel a bit of remorse for Riley. He didn't tell many people this but his father was murdered as well when he was six years old in a hostage situation in a supermarket.

Not a lot was explained to him, except when Ben told him he called agent Sadusky to tell him that he _captured_ him. He was useless to him now. He was thinking of what was going to happen to him next when the older man looked out the door and ran. There was a loud crash and a flash of light and a large amount of movement. His hold was let go and he was going to see what happened when he saw the man with the black bowler hat, Maxim, drag Riley, who was close to the door, and Ian could not believe what the hell he was doing but went to grab Riley's wrist to get him to safety when he was kicked in the stomach and failed. Riley was taken. The other occupants in the room where outside where he saw things he could only believe happened in fantasy novels.

But what happened next he wasn't sure, but he saw Maxim grab Riley and Harvey and drag them into a getaway car that changed into an ultra sleek Ferrari. Nobody could believe what happened. Ben was in shock and so was Abigail. Ian wasn't sure how they had escaped but he saw that Balthazar, the other woman he knew now was named Veronica, the younger couple, Dave and Becky, look were the car went. He saw there was a piece of parchment knifed into the door. It read:

_To Balthazar and friends_

_You will get Mr. Opoel back if you retrieve my jewel and cane. Only then will Mr. Opoel live_

_M.H and H.W_

_P.S Oh Balthazar, just to let you know we know will know the secret location of Excalibur when Mr. Opoel's blood is spilled. Such a pity._

He saw that the party ran up to where he was and didn't look at him but the note. Balthazar's face paled and Ben looked extremely angry and the younger ones were worried as well. Balthazar turned to him and asked if he had anything on his person and he said not that he was aware of. He soon found himself against the wall and watched as Balthazar ripped the gift Harvey gave him when he joined him on his quest to kill Benjamin Gates from around his neck. Balthazar looked at him and the necklace. He looked over at the younger man.

He showed the necklace to the younger man known as Dave.

"Dave, you know what this is?" Balthazar said to Dave with a slight edge in his voice but was trying to soften it, knowing that his anger wasn't directed at the younger man.

Dave looked at the necklace and his eyebrows rose.

"That's a wards deformer and tracker, no wonder they were able to get through your wards and track him here so easily," the younger man said. Ian soon found himself grabbed and was rushed to what was a black Rolls Royce that changed, much to his amazement, into a Porsche SUV and was thrown in.

Balthazar looked at him.

"Well it seems you know how to keep your company, Mr. Howe, seeing as you now know magic exists and now you are going to get a young man killed for nothing." The man stared brutally at him. He wasn't really sure what to say when the rest of the party jumped into the car as well.

All he knew was that Ben called to tell Agent Sadusky that they would need to pick him up later. That should have been a good thing. He wasn't so sure anymore what was good or bad, considering that at this moment killing Ben was not at the top of his list.


	14. The Chase or not

**AN: Hello another chapter is up! We are back, and yet I do have some bad news. I am going on a trip for ten days and I am not sure if I am going to be able to edit chapters 15-18 before I send them to my beta reader or write chapters 19-22 to end the story during that time. So, this might take awhile to complete, but I PROMISE I am going to end the story. It just might take a bit longer than planned. Many thanks to ****Blackflufflycloud**** for an awesome beta job! Please do not forget to review! I use to get four reviews a chapter now I am back down to one or two, so please be kind and leave a review! I promise it does not take that long!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice **_**or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do!**

**Chapter 14: The Chase…or not**

_**Balthazar's POV**_

The interrogation could have gone a lot better than it did but he found out the name of Daniel's killer. The name rang a bell. He knew that Daniel talked a lot about him but he didn't worry too much. Daniel was a very capable Merlinian and Daniel understood his need to find the Prime Merlinian.

Still**,** he wished he could have done more.

It was why now he felt so incredibly stupid for letting his son get kidnapped. Maxim, it seemed, loved using people for leverage, knowing that Balthazar didn't want any blood to be shed. The problem was that giving Horvath his cane wasn't an option. He drove the car thinking that he would be able to catch them. He saw Dave look at him with a question in his eyes and he knew what he was thinking. Was this quest to find the black book going to become the next grimhold?

He certainly hoped not.

It seemed it wouldn't be once he realized he lost him. They had no grimhold and Dave's ring wouldn't help him here like it did with the grimhold.

Wait, Dave's ring.

Why of all things he was thinking of Dave's ring, or Merlin's dragon ring, now of all times would seem odd to most people.

He stopped the car and everybody stared at him. He realized that Ben and Abigail wanted him to go after Horvath and Harvey. Even Veronica, Becky and Dave were giving him questioning glances. The criminal was just going along for the ride but he even looked up. He turned the car around to go to Dave's lab.

He would be getting a lot of questions soon but he remembered something that Merlin once told him. He knew how they could counteract the book's special power.

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_**Riley's POV**_

Coldness. That is what he felt. It wasn't the kind of coldness one would feel if they were taking a cold shower or forgot their gloves and made a snowball, it was the kind of cold that crept through one's body and left an icy prickling behind. That was the feeling he felt when he found out who murdered his family.

When he had first heard his parents were dead back in high school he wasn't sure what to think. He had simply called his father's lawyer and everything was taken care of. Apparently his father had everything prepared if something like this were to occur, which really shook Riley to his core. Why? Why would someone prepare if they should still have, technically, a long time to live?

All he knew is that the investigation into the fire and the car accident didn't come up with anything more than a gas leak and a drunken driver, ordinary, everyday occurrences, but tragic ends for his family. Now though, he had heard differently. His mind was thinking this was some god-awful dream and he should wake up. That Ben and Abigail and him were still in Washington and Ben was telling Riley to get his feet off the coffee table, not in some random building in NYC hearing from Ian Howe that a friend of his killed his parents.

It all made sense now.

The black book to Excalibur, that Harvey guy killed to get a hold of it, though somehow it got into the hands of Balthazar. Balthazar was his father's confidant and friend. An accident brought him to lose the book, thus Ben claiming it. All of this was a series of events, and none of it was coincidence. He shouldn't be mad at Ian, besides for trying to kill Ben back at the _Charlotte_, but he was mad.

Maybe he and his father didn't get along on the best of terms but his mother he loved. She was his support. When he found out when he was in Vermont for boarding school, he broke down. The school allowed him to stay till graduation, seeing as when he went to the will reading his father and put aside money for his education to be continued. For his summer holidays his computer tech teacher, Mr. Forest, offered him a place to stay and work till he got out of high school.

He wasn't sure what he wanted. Revenge? For a man who could do magic and he could not? He didn't have a pistol on him and he wasn't the kind of man to shoot guns anyway. To be honest, he would want to keep his hands clean and in, Benjamin Gate's terms, he wanted justice the democratic way. Of course, when magic was involved the rules were a bit different.

When the whole company went upstairs and more explanations took place, Riley saw some movement outside and he couldn't believe his eyes. He saw Balthazar take notice of his reaction and look outside the window and saw that the two men from the night before were there in person. The one with dark hair, Harvey, threw a blue orb of energy towards him when Balthazar blocked it from him. He ran to get to safety and saw Balthazar, Veronica, and Dave go to the street to find Harvey.

He, however, would find out later that Harvey was the distraction. The man with a black bowler hat came in and took him.

The next moment the unexpected happened.

Ian Howe tried to fight off Maxim but he wasn't having the best of luck. He was brought around (darn him for being so lightweight. Ben was right, he really did need to eat more and buff up a bit) and his captor kicked Ian. He didn't like the man but in this instance he wanted to whoop for joy but at the same time Ian _was_ trying to save him. He was bound and thrown into the car. Before as he knew it, they drove off.

He was put in the back seat. Once in the car Harvey looked at him with an expression akin to glee. Riley noticed the car shifted and he was cramped in the back. Riley looked around to what he could see. He knew he was first in a Honda of some kind but the interior changed and shrank and he heard the vroom of the engine and the accelerator was pushed.

What the hell just happen? Oh, right, Riley thought, magic. Of course. They somehow changed their car into a fast one and Riley lifted his head and saw the horse coat of arms of the Ferrari Company! What!

"Your death is going to help us find Excalibur because once your blood is shed and spilled on the journal its secrets will be revealed. We know you will be uncooperative to open it for us. Plus, it eliminates one less hazard. Not that you can do much, you're not like your father in that regard," Harvey said and laughed a really cruel laugh.

He looked at Maxim who looked at him with disdain. He saw that his father's book was in Maxim's hand. He just really hoped that Ben's new friends and his father's friend would help him out. He really didn't want to die. He finally found out why his father was so cold to him, it was for protection. He glared at Harvey and would say something if he wasn't gagged. The car got away.

He heard Maxim say that Balthazar and the rest of the gang did not follow them. Riley's heart dropped. They weren't following him?

He wanted answers to his questions and they drove to a faraway place it seemed. It was an abandoned apartment building and he was brought in rather rudely. Pushed, shoved, whacked, he came up with smart retorts about having magic and he couldn't even be original. It was at that point he saw a knife to his neck. He figured this wasn't helping him. He was shoved in the corner. He wondered how long he had till they were going to do the deed and the only thing that came to his mind was his father's last sentence to him, before he went off for his junior semester of high school.

"_Riley, I know we have had a rough time between the two of us but I want you to remember I love you and whatever happens in your life you are going to become a great person. If at any moment you think things are going to go bad, remember that I love you and that you have friends even if you don't see them. And don't let anyone tell you that reading fantasy is a bad thing. They are wrong."_

He thought about those words and how he casted them off so quickly. He was put off by his father's last comment, but when he thought about it now he did have friends and the last comment made a heck of a lot more sense than it did previously. He just didn't know it at the time.

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_**Benjamin Gate's POV**_

He decided he had enough of blasting windows when he saw the store's window blown wide open and the glass spread about. He saw that Balthazar, Dave, Veronica, and even Becky hurried to see what was going on. He saw Riley duck for cover, which was a smart thing. He got hit, it seemed, by Harvey and decided to punch the man who killed Riley's parents. He really deserved it, but as much physical might as he might have it wasn't enough when he was flung away.

He couldn't win against magic but at that same moment he saw Balthazar do the same thing to Harvey as was done to him.

But his company could. He saw the younger man make a blue orb of energy and flung it at Harvey who had just gotten up. The kid had good aim but not well enough when Harvey jumped out of the way. It was then Ben noticed that this wasn't the main event and saw a shadow run with a man he knew very well.

Riley.

He tried to run and saw that there was a car parked around the corner and somehow or another Harvey got out of harm's way and started up the car. Riley was thrown in. His eyes grew wide when he saw a seemingly Honda Civic turn into black as night Ferrari and speed off. Abigail, as well as Dave, Balthazar, and Veronica, saw this too. Balthazar grunted and turned around and walked up to his store's door front.

But Ben noticed there was a sign on the door stabbed in with a knife and it read:

_To Balthazar and friends_

_You will get Mr. Opoel back if you retrieve my jeweled cane. Only then will Mr. Opoel live._

_M.H and H.W_

_P.S Oh, Balthazar, just to let you know, we will know the secret location of Excalibur when Mr. Opoel's blood spilled. Such a pity._

So, it seemed this was hostage situation and Maxim wanted a cane of some sort. What he remembered Balthazar telling him was that a sorcerer required a focusing tool, either it be a ring, necklace, or jewel, in order to use magic. It seemed this was their bargaining chip, knowing that as rough as Ben saw Balthazar as a person, he had a heart of gold and was like him in seeing justice done.

Maybe he could trust him when he did have his back. He even saw the same look from Abigail, who till now had nothing but distrust. But he really was, in this situation, their only hope. His heart ached. He wanted his friend back and he wanted this Harvey person killed.

When he saw Balthazar read the letter his expression darkened and he ran down the steps of his store towards a very familiar looking black Rolls Royce Phantom. Ben saw the same thing that happened with the Honda Civic where he saw Balthazar put his hand on the roof and the car and it was transformed into a very sleek looking and fast silver Porsche SUV. He really wished he could do that; it would have worked wonders for the last car chase he was in.

So it seemed if Harvey wanted a car chase, he would get one. He really hoped Riley was okay. From the last sight he saw a little punched up but no blood or anything. Didn't mean he couldn't be injured because there is the internal to worry about as well. He didn't want Riley's death to be on his hands, just for picking up the journal that day. It would have been better to never been sold. He couldn't turn back time. After all, he was just a man.

A man who had a sense of justice, intelligence, integrity, and as well as a man who has all the right friends in all the right places.

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At first Ben thought they would catch up with them, seeing as their driver, to Ben's astonishment, could very well be the next big thing in the racecar industry. Seeing as Balthazar was driving with exact precision and movements with the car. Ben had to shake his head, the man was literally over 1300 years old and could drive this machine as precisely as cutting an intricate design. It made sense though; the guy probably learned to drive since the invention of cars. After this whole affair he would have to ask him questions about what he had seen. This wasn't the moment to think about such things, Riley was his first concern.

But, the Ferrari got away and Balthazar stopped the car. Ben wanted to yell at Balthazar as to why he wasn't continuing. Couldn't he do magic or something! I mean, after all, it is what got them into this mess in the first place (and his darn penchant for getting into trouble). The car turned around.

Now he was really mad. He had placed his trust in this man and now he was turning away. He sat in the back, considering Dave, Balthazar's apprentice, was sitting in the front. He wanted answers now!

"Why in the world are we turning around? He went that way!" Ben said as he pointed to the far off Ferrari. Dave looked at him and Balthazar turned to the rest of them. Ben saw that Abigail had the same question as well as Becky and Veronica. Ian, on the other hand, was just listening and didn't really care. Balthazar's eyes sparkled. Ben didn't know what the sorcerer had in mind.

"I think I know how we can find them and how we can stop their efforts," Balthazar said with a smirk. He saw Dave look at his master and he was starting to think his earlier thoughts.

This guy was crazy and he wasn't even sure if Abigail was going to make her lecture in the next few days. At this point he just wanted to make sure all of them came out of this alive.

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and it might be awhile for the next chapter, but I might catch a break, but I don't know. In the meanwhile, check out some of my other stories! Thanks!**


	15. Wait a minute, back up you're telling

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice **_**or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do!**

**AN: I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LONG TIME FOR THE THIS CHAPTER. Sorry, I had to put that all in caps to tell you how sorry I am. I was in Park City for ten days for the Sundance Film Festival for a class. It was a ton of fun and I saw Eva Green! (Which, consequently she is playing in a new British television series called "Camelot" and she is playing Morgana Le Fae…yeah weird I know). Anyways, when I did have free time I worked on my Balthy-100 challenge (I know I am a horrible person). But good news chapters 16-18 are being betaed. Chapter 19 is roughly written, and 20-22 are in the works. I am trying my best go get this done as soon as I can. Please review and I am sorry for the long wait!**

**As always many, many wonderful thanks to the most amazing person in the world my beta-reader ****Blackfluffycloud****! **claps****

**Chapter 15: Wait a minute, back up. You're telling me what? **

_**Abigail's POV**_

As if the events of the day couldn't get any worse. From what happened at the hotel, to being kidnapped and finding out you weren't, to finding out that magic exists (which she still couldn't believe), to finding herself in another fight. This time it was a lot more personal. Riley told her about his parent's deaths, but now to find out there was an ulterior motive made her angry. Riley was sarcastic, had his nerdy tendencies, but he was also witty and very intelligent. He was a good friend and now he was kidnapped and she felt like she couldn't do anything.

During the fight she was told to stay back as she saw things her eyes could hardly believe. There were blue bolts of energy, people being exerted with an unknown force, and a car turning into another car. This was a whole other world and she had no idea of its existence till now. After all, she was told magic was to be kept a secret and that civilians shouldn't be aware of its existence. Well she knew and she would never go back to her mundane existence. Not that it was really that mundane being around Benjamin and Riley. Treasure maps were one thing, but this...

This was the unexplainable.

All she knew was that her head was in a fog as she was pushed into the car. She watched in awe as the car transform from a classic Rolls Royce Phantom into a sleek Porsche SUV around her. Becky took a seat next to her in the back of the car along with Benjamin. Becky looked at her with sympathy.

"We'll get him back. I'm sure of it," Becky said to her. It didn't calm her feelings even though Becky told Abigail of her experience being kidnapped a few months earlier. She had heard the story, but this was one hostage situation that was a lot scarier. A gun she could handle, but magic?

That scared her to bits.

They sped along trying to follow the black Ferrari. Abigail was impressed at Balthazar's precision (and sometimes frightening maneuvers, which to her astonishment never got them into any accidents). They were a good distance along that was until they turned and it was all taxis. She was stunned, and it even seemed the driver was exasperated.

"He did it again," Dave muttered.

Balthazar looked at him and she saw that he was trying to keep his anger in check. That was till something happened when they stopped. His features relaxed and he turned the car in a different direction. Abigail could see he was entering a lesser known neighborhood. She saw Ben ask him what he was doing and why he was going this way instead of that way. She was worried sick for Riley and so was everybody else.

Abigail knew from the looks the other people were giving him that this was not something usual for this man, sorcerer, or whatever, to do. They arrived in front of a large building under an overpass. It was an industrial building and Dave, Becky, and Veronica's eyebrows were raised but they got out of the car. Benjamin and she were not so easily swayed. Especially Benjamin.

"What the heck are we doing here? I don't think they are here. You see any car around? You went the opposite direction, now what? I thought you were on our side, considering that he was your best friend's son and he is my friend as well!" Benjamin said, looking tired, angry, distressed, and worried. She was about to add her two cents when the sorcerer of the 777th degree looked at him.

"Trust me when I say, this is helping," Balthazar said and pivoted away from Ben and herself.

Abigail and Ben followed everyone else when Balthazar waved his hand and the lock on the door opened. They quickly went down the stairs.

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_**Veronica's POV**_

One would believe that she lived in a world she didn't understand, and the truth was in there. The problem is that the world really hadn't changed as much as some people believe. Yes, technology advanced, fashion changed, the status quo and what was expected. But, it seemed that some things stayed the same.

Like her husband for one.

She knew he changed from the time he spent travelling trying to find the Prime Merlinian and all the scars from his past and fights have left him with a load heavier than any single person should have. He had become hardened, lost his sense of spontaneity, and his humor had become rather dark and wrier than she remembered.

But some parts had not been lost in the sea of time.

He was still intelligent, shrewd, full of heart, determination, integrity, and overall always knew how to be one step ahead (when he could be). She was hoping this was one of those times.

It was why she questioned when he veered on to a different course and headed towards Dave's lab. His face had a faraway look from what she could see from the rearview mirror. She wanted to know what he was thinking and feeling.

There was a hostage to think about after all. People would think when they looked at her that she couldn't hold her own in anything; the few who knew her knew that was the wrong thing to think. She shuddered at what her one time friend had become. Maxim used to have a wicked sense of humor, creativity, and was always the one she had to pull out of trouble. But when he found out her love for Balthazar, she knew things were not going to be the same. She was hoping their friendship would heal but that was, of course, a naïve thought.

Now, he had kept on with his cold and now famously known dark ways and kidnapped Riley, whom she found out was Balthazar's former friend's son (she knew he had many friends in the past, but this was one of his good friends from New York City in _relatively_ recent times). He was also the descendant of the protector of Excalibur book and sword. She was hoping that nothing would happen to Riley, she couldn't believe his parents were murdered. But, then again, she knew of _somebody else's_ and what that must have been like.

When they arrived at the lab, she was pretty sure her beloved had a plan as he entered. Dave himself looked at her to see if she had any thoughts as to why he was here. Unfortunately, this was one of the few moments where she had no idea what her husband was thinking. She only hoped that whatever his thoughts were would lead them to Horvath and keep Riley Opoel, or Poole, safe.

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_**Dave's POV**_

Being an apprentice meant many things. First off, you were subordinate and expected to follow rules, of which he had broken a few. One was required to learn to do the best he or she can and he would say he did, though his master would say different at times. One part of being an apprentice he wasn't prepared for was the constant questions that never got answered.

Sure he knew the better story now, and how it made sense. Some of it was highly improbable and that would break all the laws of probability.

Then again, he wasn't a mathematician. He was a physicist.

It wasn't the back-story that bothered him. No, it was his master.

When his master pulled out of the taxi intersection he didn't even ask if there was anything he could do. Granted, they didn't have the grimhold but he was sure his master would think of something.

This must have been it.

When he saw their destination he knew his eyebrows shot up to his forehead. They were at his lab, turned sorcerer's lair. He wondered what was up Balthazar's sleeve. He always had a trick or two up them to begin with. Balthazar unlocked and lowered the wards with a wave of his hands. He knew Horvath wouldn't even try to fight them here. Considering back at the shop it was quick, dirty, and tactful distraction where they were led away.

Dave knew they were caught off guard with Ian having a tracker on him. Ian at this point was being pulled inside by Benjamin Gates. He wasn't sure why they had the criminal but he knew that Balthazar wanted him with them. He didn't feel comfortable, but then again, he was armed and the Ian guy was not. There was some satisfaction there.

When he went down the steps he found his master looking intently through the _Encantus._ The rest of the group, that was Ben and Abigail, looked around staring at his generators and the Tesla Coils.

He quickly explained this was his lab slash training ground. They got the picture. It was when they saw the Merlin's circle on the ground both of them furrowed their eyebrows. Especially Abigail. They asked him what it was and that they saw it on the black book. He looked over his shoulder and saw Veronica nod her head, showing it was okay for him to tell them. So he did, and he explained the different domains and such. Before he could get too deep he heard the slap of the _Encantus _closing and saw a striding Balthazar with a smile that looked part eerie and part grim on his face. This was a scary look.

"Dave, I need something from you," Balthazar said to him.

Those words coming out of Balthazar's mouth are the six scariest to hear.

"What?" He said trying to keep his voice as even as possible, what was his master planning?

"Your ring, Dave, or more specifically, Merlin's Ring," Balthazar said. He had to give his master a look that said you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me. Of course, his master gives him an epic glare, which one look would have you thinking a plasma bolt to your gut is going to come your way. He took his ring off because, technically speaking, he didn't need it to perform magic anymore.

His master took it from him and then turned to everyone.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you anything earlier, but I needed to check something. You see, I believe I found a way to stop them from getting any information from the black book as well as finding the location where they are hidden. You see this ring once belonged to Merlin, which for most of us here this is old news, but for every single one of you (his eyes event travelled to Veronica as well were her eyes furrowed) what I am about to tell you is new. You see, Arthurian legends are not accurate, this you know already, but the fact about Excalibur and the stone it was put in. What many people don't know and a total count of two know is that Merlin's ring was made from the metal from Excalibur and the stone where Excalibur was put," Balthazar said and waited for the response.

Dave was shocked. This was news to him. His ring, Merlin's ring, was made from Excalibur's metal and the stone. That would mean that the book would have properties from the magic within the sword, which means that the ring could be used as a type of locator.

"We can use the ring's power to lock on to the journal and their location. All we need now is Dave to find the book for us," he said as he turned to Dave. He instantly paled. He didn't know how to track. He was pretty sure a biometric pressure spell wasn't going to help anyone.

"How, Balthazar?" Dave asked him.

His master looked at him and gave a wry smile,

"I think it is time we kicked your training up a few hundred degrees." Dave wasn't sure if that was relating to the terms of heat, or that he literally was going to jump his degree level in sorcery (which at this point he was told around a 350 even though he had a moment of 777 at Battery Park). That was a crazy thought because Balthazar told him he didn't even reach his highest peak yet, a peak even Balthazar and Veronica couldn't go to. That 777th was Balthazar's peak, his master Merlin, from what Dave was told, had times were he was able to do 900th degree magic, the highest ever. He just unlocked a part of himself at Bowling Green Park. That was a scary thought.

He wasn't sure if he could do this, but with those people depending on him to find their friend he shouldn't think like that. He had to do his best; otherwise there would be a death on his hands. He really didn't want that at all.

**AN: So, the whole deal with Excalibur, the stone, and Merlin's ring is mentioned in **_**The Answer is Yes: The Art and Making of The Sorcerer's Apprentice. **_**When I got the book I thought that was really cool and decided to use it as a plot point. It was John Turtletaub's idea, so I do not own it. I hope you like it! I know an interesting twist, and please leave a review!**


	16. Why wait? & You have got to be kidding!

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_** or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do!**

**AN: Another update! I know I need to get a little more regular. Anyways, once again many thanks to my awesome beta-reader ****Blackfluffycloud****! For her awesome work and advice! Anyways, please review and I hope you enjoy! Oh, and just to add when I was coming back from Park City on Continental they had "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" playing…I was happy to see Riley again :-).**

**Anyways enjoy!**

**Chapter 16: Why wait? And you have got be kidding!**

_**Horvath's POV**_

"What is taking them so long? I was under the impression, Horvath, that your ex-friend, Balthazar, was quick on his feet and would find us quickly," Harvey said to him. He looked around the room and saw their hostage, still gagged, looking between the two of them. He honestly thought killing the younger man would be too easy and they should just do it, however, if he wanted to get his cane back he had to be alive.

He glanced at Riley. He was rather unassuming. Horvath thought the same thing when he saw Dave, the Prime Merlinian and Balthazar's apprentice. He didn't see what Balthazar saw in the boy; of course, he had a ton of innate potential. That part of it was shown at Bowling Green Park. Horvath knew if Dave was to continue his training with Balthazar that it wouldn't be long before Dave would be able to defeat him with no help. He wanted to have Excalibur to couple with his cane. Horvath smirked; he would have the power to do what even his former colleagues could not do then.

He would be able to reach the 900th degree of magic, the one and the same that Merlin could achieve. He wouldn't tell Harvey this; he would never be a high level Morganian ever. He smirked; he was just the means to end. If he had his cane he would perform the parasite spell. He decided that maybe he could get some clues from the book with just some blood from the young man. He wouldn't be able to get all the clues but to just get a few more would be good. He took a knife from his fur coat. Riley stared at him and he heard some muffled sounds from the young man.

"Don't worry I'm not going to kill you… yet. I just want to see what the next clue is. Considering what I know, you haven't gotten any actual clues except for an introduction," Horvath said smugly. He saw Harvey turn around with a question in his eyes. He took the knife to Riley's palm and grabbed the book.

The knife slashed into Riley's skin easily and he heard muffled whimpers. The red blood dripped from the younger man's palm onto the book. The book easily opened and Riley stared at him.

"You must have thought you were the only one able to open the book. Well, I happen to know that this book has blood from King Arthur in it and the blood was used as a protective measure. Of course, I found out how to counter that."

Horvath saw the blood dissolve the strap and it opened. He turned it to the next blank page and the red entered the paper. A dark black ink in a heavily cursive script wrote:

_The first clues were the opening to the quest you have begun as well as a warning. This clue, however, is the first of a few, not many. One has to figure out this puzzle for the next clue:_

_The 5__th__ month of the Roman calendar_

_Used as a conjunction introducing clauses of various kinds*_

_Mass times acceleration _

_The second letter of the Roman alphabet_

_An addition_

_Sounds like yew _

_10 and 14 or 24_

_This, if you know, should help you to the next location. Good luck._

Horvath and Harvey looked at the clue, and Harvey was smart enough to write it down before it disappeared. That was the thing about the blood; it wouldn't keep the clue visible for a long period unless Riley touched it (willingly) first before he took the blood, or died. He looked at the clue and thought about it. The first part was easy since he knew that the 5th month was May. The second was a definition of some sort of word. The English language has changed through time but if he remembered correctly this is the definition for the word "the".

Riley could see the clue that he wrote down as well and was silent. He thought he would be able to figure this clue out. It was a magical book; this clue had a magical background to it. He was sure. Then he noticed Riley had a look of shock on his face. Harvey wrapped up the younger man's hand, only so that the blood would not drip on the floor. Horvath shook his head. What would he know?

_Mass times acceleration__**.**_

Horvath knew that was a physics equation and he knew the answer: force.

May…the…force

The problem was that didn't make any sense as a clue. The next clue was easy enough; the answer was the letter "b". The next clue he skipped and looked at the other clues. The second last line of the clue was: sounds like yew. Well, you worked. But the clue made no sense, no place or even time.

May the force b (blank) you.

What was that?

The numbers at the bottom did not make any sense at all.

10 and 14 or 24. What was that supposed to relate to? A year, an address, a book volume? He wasn't particularly good at puzzles. He was more of the kind to be quick and get things done and Balthazar was more the kind of person to figure these things out. One more point to add to his list was why he wanted to kill him. Though, there would be certain points in time where he believed he did the wrong thing. But then he sees the way Veronica looks at him and every feeling of regret leaves him.

Harvey looked at his clue and a surprised laugh came out of him. Horvath gave an annoyed look.

"Seriously, that's the clue? It's so easy. It's a reference from a movie!" Harvey said in glee, but Horvath saw that Riley was staring at the black book. Horvath turned and saw something he couldn't believe. The blood that opened the book disappeared from the cover and he saw the latch lock itself. He untied their hostage's hand and tried to get some more blood out of him, and did, only to find that the book wouldn't open.

Maxim grew angry. There was no spell that Balthazar knew that could do this. He also saw the book go into Riley hands. The younger man stared and couldn't take the book because of his bindings but he held it under his elbows. He grabbed the book from Riley, only to get burned.

The book flew out of his grasp. Harvey looked surprise and took the book only to get burnt as well. Horvath went through every spell he knew and there was none like this, or powerful. He looked around and he saw no one there. No Balthazar or Veronica.

It was then that he saw something that he couldn't even understand. The Merlin's circle that was inscribed on the leather held a flicker of green, only to grow brighter. Normally the flames of the Merlin circle would not harm a sorcerer of any kind, but this did.

On the back a symbol was glowing as well. Horvath stared the symbol was being inscribed in the back of the leather book with red, blue, and green hue flames. The final shape was a dragon, but not any dragon.

It was the shape of a dragon ring. And its eyes glowed. They were not green like the stone of Merlin's ring which the shape took form of or blue or grey. Instead they were brown.

The younger man lay transfixed when he saw that his restraints were lifted and he grabbed the book, and did not throw it on the floor out of the pure heat.

He was extremely angry and Harvey was just surprised. This couldn't be happening; there was no magic like this from what he knew.

Horvath knew he didn't know all of Merlin's secrets especially the forbidden domain. But from what he knew the forbidden domain was for life and death and nothing else. He started to have a sinking feeling that there was another element, and for some reason a nerdy apprentice came to mind. Even if he was doing this, Horvath thought, this was high degree magic, _very high degree_.

But he was the Prime Merlinian. It was at that moment that the surroundings became gloomy and dark. No, this couldn't be happening. He saw Riley had untied his feet and took off the gag and was trying to run with the book. Riley put his hand on the still glowing Merlin's circle in the book and the circle erupted around his hand. He also saw the younger man had a hand on the other side with the form of the dragon ring on it.

Riley was stunned but didn't put down the book, he looked like he was having a headache, but then he had a slight smile on his face. Horvath wanted to know what was going on. He thought he heard some noise but the atmosphere thundered.

It was at that second that he was thrown away from his previous position as a door flew off its hinges. There, standing before him with his black trench coat and dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, was his former colleague who had a grim smile adorning his face.

"Miss me, Horvath?"

He could see out of his line of sight other figures as well. The other figures were looking at the scene surrounding them and one form was being supported by another.

Before he blacked out from a strong punch to the gut he wanted to know how the kid did it.

The kid performed a level of magic he couldn't.

He was doing 900th degree spell work.

.

.

.

.

.

.

._**Riley's POV **_

Things could be worse. Really, they could be. He could be dead. Considering he hasn't been killed yet and his mouth was covered, but not his nose, he was still living. He could be drugged, beaten to death, or have some hocus pocus mumbo jumbo performed on him.

He could be a frog but here he was, in the corner, on a hardwood floor in the presence of the two bad guys. One guy who makes Anakin Skywalker from _Star Wars_ seem like a saint, the other his father's killer, and he couldn't do anything to avenge his father's death. Not that he thought about what he was going to do.

He glanced at Maxim Horvath, he had a knife. He widened his eyes, he was going to die, He was sure of it.

"Don't worry. I am not going to kill you…yet," Maxim said to him with a sneer on his face. That was reassuring.

He saw him grab his hand and he didn't look away. He could feel a searing pain across his palm and saw that he was dripping his blood onto the book. Why in the world was he doing that? He then saw that the blood was working as a solvent of some kind and before he knew what happened the book opened up. He didn't think that was possible because he thought he was the only one who could open up the book.

Apparently his blood could.

He wasn't sure what to think only that his palm was bleeding and he had no way to get into contact with Ben, Abigail, or even his father's friend, Balthazar, his apprentice, Dave, Dave's girlfriend, Becky, or Balthazar's wife, Veronica. He was alone with two criminals, who charges were never going to be settled in court. Unless, of course, there is a sorcerer's court of some kind to deal with this kind of problem.

This wasn't _Harry Potter _that was for sure. There was no government, fewer sorcerers, no secret schools, no Quidditch, no wands, and certainly no cauldrons. He was thinking in his mind what could he do. Normally he would say some snide remark or make a sarcastic comment. This time he had none and his mouth was gagged. His hand was soon wrapped but he was told this was only so he didn't get the floor dirty.

He saw that they were writing down stuff. They were clues! He knew this was bad. He needed to move, kick them and somehow close the book. But his arms were tied, so were his feet. If he could get his arms undone he would be okay, but he couldn't. What would Ben do in this situation?

Right, think.

What did he have on him? Right now, a small _Swiss Army_ knife in his back pocket, which was surely removed so that wasn't going to help him at all. He saw the clue they were writing and he could make it out.

They had the decency to let him keep his glasses.

He was starting to read the clue and he inwardly smiled. This was such an easy clue to figure out. There were, of course, several things that gave it away. It seemed the older man with the black bowler hat was scratching his head. He had lived for over a thousand years and had no idea what this was? He wanted to laugh but then they saw him reading from where he was sitting. He tried to keep his face stoic, which seemed to be working.

Harvey was laughing at Horvath because he couldn't get it and told him it was a movie reverence, when he noticed something out of the ordinary. Not that he hadn't been seeing a lot of out of the ordinary events occur as of late.

The two men were _discussing_ the clue and he saw the black book on the table with his blood still on it disappear. His eyebrows rose a bit but then he saw the book move towards him. He thought for a second with hope that help was here and this was just a distraction or something.

He went with it. He wasn't sure who, or what, but he had some semblance of hope. That he wouldn't die. This was, after all, a poor place to die.

His eyes widened when Maxim and Harvey turned around to see the book coming closer to him and he tried to use his elbows to keep the book down. He wasn't quick enough. He saw Maxim pick it up…only to immediately drop it. He saw Maxim wave his hand in the air like he had burnt it. He didn't think the book was hot. It was actually pretty cool to his touch to be honest. He saw Harvey do the same thing as well with pretty much the same results. He wondered what was going on but whatever was going on it was working in his favor.

He tried to squirm up closer to where the book dropped and he saw something incredible and scary happen. The symbol on the cover of the leather book lit up slowly, but surely, with a green flame. It flickered lightly then grew stronger. He could see the symbol much better. It was rather intricate and made up of a number of circles. He wasn't sure what the symbols inside each circle meant but whatever was going on he knew who was behind it.

The other two occupants of the room saw what was going on. Their looked shocked to the core. What? This wasn't an everyday occurrence for a sorcerer? The room and the outside of the building were getting dark and lightening could be heard. This was getting scary, and even a little extraordinary. He was wondering why the two men were not running or trying to take him away. He knew why when he turned his head back to the book. The book flipped over and another symbol was created in the leather. It was a shape of a dragon ring and its eyes glowed mocha brown. This was getting more than supernatural; this was getting creepy, like, alien creepy. He noticed that the bindings on his hands were released.

Now he was able to get into his back pocket, which surprisingly he still contained his _Swiss Army_ knife. He took it out and cut his foot bindings and took off the gag. At the same time he saw Maxim and Harvey come towards him. He picked up the book and tried to run. He didn't realize when he picked up the book he put his palm, not the one that was cut, on the still glowing circular design. When he did, however, it flared up. It wasn't hot, it was cool, and caressed his hand. It went through his body and he could feel his other palm start to heal up. He put his other hand on the dragon, and that was when the weirdest sensation of all hit.

"_Riley is that you?"_

Riley had to shake his head. He looked around and realized no one said anything to him; someone was talking to him in his head. Okay, this was a little out there even by magic standards. He recognized the timbre in the voice to be Dave. Was he the one doing this? Whatever, he went with it. He didn't have much time. The kid was going all Jedi on him.

"_Yeah, neat trick. Where are you?"_ he thought, not speaking out loud. He faked having headache because in reality this was beyond weird.

"_In my lab, but we are going to be there soon. I need you to look out any windows if there are any just for a sec. then I am going to close the connection. We'll be there soon," _Dave said to him.

He turned his head towards the foggy window and felt the strangest sensation ever but he smiled knowing that he was going to be saved. The other two men looked at him and saw that the sky and lighting was returning to normal. That is when Riley realized that Maxim, all of the sudden, was removed from his position and forced to the far wall away from him and he saw the door come off its hinges.

He saw Balthazar walk in with a grim smile on his face. He could see beyond that Ben and Abigail run towards him. He also saw Veronica come in as well. His head hurt and his body was shaking, but he saw that Dave was there leaning on his girlfriend. Whatever he did, he saved his life.

He had to thank him after he had his nap.

**AN: So, I wrote a longer chapter and I hope that makes all my readers happy! Anyways, I do not own **_**Star Wars**_** George Lucas does, I am just using the references in my story for the plotline and for fun!**


	17. When were you going to tell me this?

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice **_**or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do! I am just using the characters and settings for fun, and I am not making money off of this!**

**AN: Another chapter yay! I should really start working on my next chapters because 18 is going to be done soon. Anyways, many thanks go out to the awesome ****Blackfluffycloud**** who once again did an amazing job as a beta-reader! Please do not forget to review, and I am really happy at the positive reviews and feedback I have been getting. And here I was worried a while back nobody wanted to read this story. **

**Chapter 17: When were you going to tell me this? And 900****th**** degree**

_**Dave's POV**_

"_I think it is time we kicked your training up a few hundred degrees."_

When Dave reflected on what his master had said he foolishly hoped he meant something with heat. From what he remembered Balthazar telling him after the battle with Morgana, moving up degrees in sorcery wasn't based on any kind of level system or skill achieved. You moved up when the time came, or when the time was coming. He was thoroughly confused when he first heard that. Now, though, he wasn't so sure.

His master had taken him aside, saying that he needed to speak privately, while the rest of the gang were either anxious, fretting, or just staring at the Tesla coils. Dave had the feeling he wasn't going to like what Balthazar was going to say to him.

"Dave, I know I am asking a lot of you, but I know you can do this," Balthazar said to him. Anytime Dave heard that from anyone else it would be for a favor of some kind. Coming from Balthazar, it was one of those moments that told him 'you're going to have to do something incredibly unbelievable otherwise someone will be dead'. The only time it had happened wasn't even on Balthazar's watch. He had come willingly, knowing he probably didn't have much of a chance against Morgana but he had to help. His master looked at him with his steely blue eyes. He listened.

"Merlin did not tell this to anyone but me regarding Excalibur and the book but there is a connection between your ring, the black book, and the Excalibur sword. More so with the black book and the sword but your ring, Dave, has some different properties." Dave knew that to get anything through his head he needed to hear it in scientific terms that he could understand.

"Your ring came out of the metal grated out of the sword when it was released from the stone. The Excalibur sword is made with powerful, ancient magic, Dave. Merlin told me that the magic from the sword and it's residing stone would help keep the stone safe from harm. At the time only King Arthur or Merlin could wield it," Balthazar said, but Dave interrupted him.

"So, does that mean Riley is related to King Arthur somehow?" Dave said, getting confused.

"Not likely, Dave. With what I found out from Horvath's letter is that the blood from Riley's family, or more specifically, Riley, is the agent as to why the book reveals its secrets. If he is killed, the blood spilled would reveal the secrets of the book. We're lucky that Horvath isn't just killing him and wants his cane back. Before you ask, no, we are not going to give his cane back to him. What we are going to do, or more specifically_ you_, Dave, is find that connection," Balthazar said to him. What was this?

"Okay, where in the _Encantus_ will I find this information then?" Dave said and he had the sinking feeling that there wasn't anything on this. Balthazar looked at the group and the Merlin's circle and sighed.

"Dave, there are some things the _Encantus_ does not have, especially when it revolves around the forbidden domain. This is where you are going to have to use that domain to find where the journal is with your ring as well. I know this is asking a lot, but you were able to access the domain's powers before." Balthazar looked at him with the kind of look that said to him you-saved-my-life. Dave wasn't sure what to think. This wasn't in the textbook and this wasn't scientific. There were no Tesla Coils, no nothing. He had to use magic, which he could do, but he had at least some theory as to how something work. This, this is where he failed, in believing the true mysticism of the art. Balthazar had told him at some point in time that even though magic and science are linked, there are elements where science cannot explain everything pertaining to sorcery. Where did he start? Even Balthazar didn't even know.

Balthazar put his hands on his shoulders, looking him straight in the eye.

"You can do this, Dave, you have to _believe_," Balthazar said to him.

"And trust the ring, right?" he said to relieve the tension and saw Balthazar give a tight smile. He knew the first step was to enter the domain. He saw Becky give him a look, seeing if he was okay. He was, but now the hard part came.

Trying to find the connection between two objects of his dragon ring and the journal was a completely different story. Writing a thesis on molecular physics sounded strangely appealing right now.

He saw the rest of the group look at him when he entered the circle. Before he entered the circle was dormant but as soon as he stepped in the circle flames rippled on the outside. He entered the center circle, the forbidden domain. He could feel the ring's power within his own body as his nerves sparked. What kind of connection was this? It was purely elemental between the elements of Excalibur, the journal, and his ring. He cleared his mind and exhaled. He first focused on the journal and his ring.

That got something. He closed his eyes to take a breath. He could hear quiet whisperings of what was going on and a yell from Ben, but that was stopped. Dave knew it was Balthazar's work. He started to visualize the city from the Chrysler's building perspective to see where the black book might be. He could feel a certain pull in one direction and in his mind's eye followed it. He saw an abandoned apartment building and saw three people. He instantly recognized Horvath, in the corner he saw Riley, who was a little worse for wear with a bandage on his hand. He also could see the black book with blood on it. They must have gotten a clue out.

Not good. He didn't want them to get any more information so, from his mind's eye willed the blood particles to dissipate. The blood removed itself from the journal and the book closed itself. Good. Now that was done with he wanted to give the book back to Riley. In his mind's eye he willed the air molecules to lift the book up and bring it towards Riley who was staring widely at the book. He gave a little smile and dropped the book near Riley's elbows. He was about to will the rope between Riley's hands to be removed when Horvath and Harvey saw what was going on. He grunted, he wanted to make sure Riley had the book.

He saw that Horvath was going for the book, but he didn't want him to touch it at all, or Harvey for the matter. So he called on the molecules to vibrate, not fast enough to create fire but friction so it would burn as if the journal was on fire for the two of them but not Riley.

It worked surprisingly well. Horvath dropped the book and waved his hand in the air to cool it down. He would have laughed but he didn't want to lose his concentration. Harvey didn't follow Horvath's example and picked up the book and the same thing happened. Dave was glad he was getting somewhere. He wanted the book to get back to Riley and he finally willed the binds on Riley's hands to be released. He saw that Riley grabbed a _Swiss army_ knife out of his pocket and worked on his feet and took the gag off before picking up the book. At that moment Dave had an idea. He wasn't sure if it was going to work but he could feel that the connection between the book and his ring was fading. He needed a second anchor of some kind. When something came up, the biometric pressure spell.

Not only could it locate magical objects, Balthazar had told him it could work as an anchor of a magical kind. He went with it and he could see in his mind's eyes that the building and atmosphere was darkening.

He could feel the connection stronger now. Good, now that he had that out of the way he risked opening his eyes. He had another idea come to mind. They needed to get there. Normally he would never try to do a mass teleportation, but he could feel the connection of the journal and ring feeding him. _He_ _could do this_.

"Balthazar, I know this is going to sound strange but I know where they are and instead of driving I want to attempt a mass teleportation." He felt the connection weakened so he closed his eyes and could see that Riley was being followed by Maxim and Horvath. He could hear a lot of commotion from the peanut gallery, but he also heard Balthazar bark orders and say that he trusted him.

That was a confidence booster.

He wanted to initialize the teleportation spell and let Riley know help was on the way so he focused on the journal's Merlin circle as a sign to Riley that help was coming. Riley saw the light on the journal come alive faintly. So did Horvath and Harvey. When Riley put his hand on the circle is when he initiated the teleportation spell and he could hear gasps and heard Balthazar keep everyone calm. At the same time he saw the flames go up on the journal as well.

Interesting. He also wanted to give Riley more than a visual, but he had to make another anchor to tell Riley so he focused on the back of the journal and saw his dragon ring form a symbol on the back in green flames. He saw Riley stare and he saw the dragon with brown eyes and he could see the room.

This was weird, but he had to continue what he was doing otherwise he would lose his hold and concentration. He was straining and realized he was sweating. He was doing a lot more magic than he ever done before. Normally he had trouble doing layered spells, but he felt the pulse continue. He took a deep breath and when Riley's hand brushed the symbol he took the plunge and made a connection with Riley.

"_Riley is that you?"_ he said in Riley's head. He could hear Riley's thoughts and was wondering what was going on. Normal reaction, this did have a _Star Wars_ quality to it. He knew from Balthazar that telepathy was one of the hardest forms of the art to master; even his master had problems at times when at long distances. He told Riley that they were coming and that he needed to see the location to finish the mass teleportation spell. Riley was a bit shaken, which is understandable, and he let Riley know that.

He saw Riley smile and turned his eyes to the buildings outside the window. He knew where they were. He finished the last parts of the mass teleportation spell and heard a few yelps and himself been thrown. He landed a little harshly but he before they left made sure they would all land as light as a feather. Boy was he tired, he saw that Balthazar came to him and whispered in his ear,

"That was brilliant, Dave. You had no idea what you did, do you?" It was said in Balthazar's familiar husky timbre and was absolute praise. Well, Dave guessed sooner or later he was going to receive it. He saw Becky come and pick him up and he opened his eyes. He realized that Balthazar cleared his biometric pressure spell and saw Balthazar try to open the door but it was locked with weak wards. Of course, Balthazar blasted it off its hinges and threw Horvath to the wayside. Ben and Abigail were now fully aware and ran towards Riley. Veronica ran ahead, but not too far away, and became a defense for Becky and him.

He would later find out that he performed 900th degree magic with the layering work he was doing. Now when he went back to regular practice Balthazar was going to expect him to do this all the time. Becky kept him upright though.

**AN: Hope you enjoyed the chapter and thanks for your continued interest in this story!**


	18. Mysticism, Ben and Abigail's revenge

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice**_** or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do!**

**AN: Another chapter, I am going to warn you though that chapters 19-22 might be awhile. I have to relook at chapter 19, and I am still in progress with chapter 20, 21, and 22. Besides that many thanks to my amazing beta-reader ****Blackflufflycloud****! Please don't forget to review! Thanks!**

**Chapter 18: Mysticism, Ben and Abigail's revenge, and Riley knows something that no one else knows…**

_**Ben's POV**_

He was starting to think that the company he was in didn't care about Riley and how he was a hostage and could be killed. There were at some old, abandoned building and were walking into it. This wasn't the time for a side trip. Abigail looked at him and he could see in her eyes she agreed wholeheartedly. All the other occupants got out of the car and he was told by Dave that Ian should be brought in as well.

The fact that Ian was now a part of this problem irked him just a bit. He is an attempted murderer and now he was prancing around like nothing happened? Thinking of what is going on and the fact that getting one more person involved, like Agent Sadusky, didn't sound too good at all. For the moment he would have to trust the company he was in because, even though he didn't want to admit it, they had the answers and he did not.

Stupid mystical mumbo jumbo.

How, of all people, was Riley involved in this? Well, if he wanted to be fair, the poor guy didn't even know till now. He entered the old building and saw machines as well as an abundance of candles on tables. There was a heavily thick, old tomb that he swore came from old times, and knowing who he was with, probably was. He also saw huge generators that looked like Tesla Coils. This was an interesting space for sure. He half-heartedly listened to Dave tell him this is where he did his experiments for school and where he practiced magic.

He could also see on the floor the same symbol that is on the book, except larger and ingrained to the floor. Dave was looking at his expression and Abigail was also looking at the pattern on the floor.

Apparently it was called the Merlin's circle. Well, it did seem now that there was evidence to Arthurian legends, considering two people standing with them were from those times. It seemed impossible, yet here they were.

He just had to think the way he did about a treasure. That, impossible as it seemed, it was real and there was hard evidence. He saw Dave being pulled aside by Balthazar having a chitchat. While he was standing outside the inscribed circle he had his hands full with Ian, who was looking at the surroundings with a mix of anger and impatience.

The other women in the room, Veronica and Becky, were talking amongst themselves and seemed to dart their attention back to Balthazar and Dave. He was about to ask what in the world was going on when he saw Dave step away from Balthazar and enter the circle. The moment Dave entered he saw flames flicker along the outer edges of the circle on their own accord.

He wasn't sure what was going on but he hoped the kid had a plan. He barked out to Balthazar what was going on but the expression he saw in Balthazar's features silenced him. Okay, so Dave needed his concentration. He would be quiet.

He didn't see much happening till certain symbols started changing colors. Certain circles were ignited with different colors, like blue, red, yellow, green, and purple. Dave had his eyes closed and, from the furrows on his forehead, Ben could see Dave was either thinking or concentrating really hard.

This was a sight to see, as the inner circle flames came into existence with such beauty and grace. He saw the younger man perform different motions with his hands. The room was darkening a bit but other than that nothing was happening. The next moment he saw the younger man open his eyes and talk to Balthazar about something called a teleportation spell.

Did he just hear that correctly?

He then learned that Balthazar wanted all of them to enter the circle. Was he kidding, it was on fire! But he heard Balthazar bark orders for all of them, even Ian, to to enter the circle because they were his responsibility for the time being. Becky and Veronica came without much challenge, but he on the other hand wasn't going to be quick on the pickup.

That was until he got literally pushed by Balthazar into the circle. He was waiting for the incoming heat but surprisingly it wasn't hot. The flames were cool to the touch and he could feel a tingling sensation. It felt oddly empowering, if that made any sense. He could see now why the kid was here; it felt like one could gain a lot from this circle.

Now he was starting to push out mumbo jumbo. Riley would laugh and say he was becoming a Han Solo. Darn Riley for getting under his skin like this.

He saw that Balthazar had a firm smile on his face, but he could see in his eyes held pride in what his apprentice is doing. It was when he least expected it that his body felt like convulsing. He closed his eyes and then reopened them to see a huge amount of green flames jump up. He almost jumped back and would have screamed when in a snap he landed on a floor without a sound. He looked around; they weren't in the lab anymore.

What the hell?

Everyone else was there and the poor Dave looked exhausted beyond belief. Balthazar quickly hurried over to him and spoke in a whisper and he could see a faint smile adorn Dave's featured. He saw Balthazar motion with his hand and he could see that there was a dark atmosphere inside and outside the building. Balthazar forced open the door without turning the handle. Once the dust had settled he saw Riley on the back wall with a black book in hand, bandaged palm and a small smile adorning his face when he slumped to the ground.

Whatever just happened he ran to make sure he was okay. Damn the consequences of getting into crossfire.

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_**Balthazar's POV**_

There were many things that went through the mind of a sorcerer of the 777th degree, and one in particular when you had an apprentice and that was letting them spread their wings and fly, so to speak.

Dave had proven at Battery Park what he was capable of but that was quick, dirty, and at best completely lucky. From what he had heard from Dave, he had used his knowledge in science to help him. He smiled at the thought. Using Tesla coils to destroy Morgana Le Fae. He thought Nikolai would get a kick out of that.

The real test of showing his strength as a sorcerer was tapping into the forbidden domain and using its power to bring him back to life. That was the ultimate sign that he knew what kind of power Dave had. Sure, they would train and Dave would have problems that every sorcerer had, but once he got something, well, he got it and expanded on it.

Just like he was doing now.

He had been teaching Dave for ages how to layer different spell work. This way a sorcerer could use more than one type of spell at one time and make a clearer offensive and defensive position if one was in a fight. It also helped to layer spells to get things done quicker. Like he had done back in Chinatown while fighting Horvath, as he casted the beads to wrap around Horvath and at the same time he was trying to pinpoint Dave's location and see that he was all right. It was a skill any sorcerer should be able to handle.

But layering came with its advantages and disadvantages.

Multiple layering spells took a lot of time and energy to use and even he had a problem doing more than three types of spells at one time. Veronica, who is a prodigy, had a hard time as well. Right now though, his apprentice was layering with an ease he never saw before.

He was using friction spells, far off levitation, a visual placement spell as well, and, when he saw the lab darken a little, a biometric pressure spell as an anchor (which he told Dave can be used, even though it seems strange to do so).

When Dave told him that he wanted to attempt a massive teleportation of the whole party he would have objected. Any sorcerer would die from that much power without any help. Teleportation could only be initiated and finished by one sorcerer. But he saw that Dave had a fluid control over all his spell work, which isn't usually shown on a day to day basis. He also saw Dave do some interesting handwork. A telepathy spell, he even had problems still attempting that kind of magic at short distances and he was sure he knew who he was communicating with was Riley (why he would be communicating with anyone else would be beyond him).

The thing about his apprentice was, when it most counted, he delivered magnificently.

It was getting him to do this on an everyday a daily basis that was the problem. It was stress that brought out his natural abilities further. Maybe he needed to fake dying, but now was not the time to think about such things. He heard complaints from all members except Veronica and Becky, who entered the circle no questions asked. It was Abigail and Ben who would need convincing.

Balthazar knew the strain was showing by the sweat he could see from Dave's face and the little tremors throughout his legs and body. He knew Dave was doing a large amount of spell work and the fact he started up the teleportation spell was proof.

He didn't have time for Abigail and Ben to ask questions, they needed to get into the circle now. He barked his order and brought the two of them into the circle, rougher than he usually would be to anyone but he needed them in here. They all stood in the different symbols of the circle, while Ben and Ian shared one of the domains.

Even though the teleportation had to start and end with Dave, he was going to help if just a bit to lighten the load by reducing the mass of the travelers. They wouldn't notice it but Dave would. He could see as he heard the flames come up higher a small smile was quirked up by his apprentice. He then felt the usual affects of teleportation and landed on a walk up apartment stair area. He realized they landed without a sound, he saw Dave by Becky and keeling over.

He walked over fast and checked his pulse, hoping that it was what he thought it was.

And it was, just exhaustion. He saw Becky came toward him and whispered what happened. Dave told her he was tired, after all, he performed at least five difficult spells at a distance. Not even he, Veronica, or Horvath were that powerful. He only knew one other sorcerer who could.

And it didn't surprise him that Dave could to it too.

After all, even though Merlin never told him of the highest degree possible he was very sure his master could perform 900th level magic. It didn't mean he was of that level but that he could be. He whispered to Dave to tell him how proud he was of him and motioned for Veronica to make sure he was okay while he dealt with Horvath and Harvey.

As some would say, his apprentice took a step into a much larger world, only in this case for the second time.

He forced the door open. Sure, there were wards on it, but they were very weak. The door opened with him willing it to open and there, on the back wall, was Riley. He saw Ben and Abigail go for him. He also at the same time forced Horvath to the side by using a gravity inverse spell, where Horvath flew away from his current position.

He cornered Harvey and he just about had him when he jumped out the window with a piece of paper and teleported away. This left Horvath alone with him. He cursed. His friend's killer got away. Well, at least he had Horvath. Horvath saw that he was cornered by Veronica and Balthazar. He didn't have his cane and, to be honest, he wasn't the kind of person or sorcerer to be unfair.

Though his former friend deserved far more punishment than this he simply tied him with rope, the old fashioned way he used to do when he grew up. Horvath didn't know all the knots he did. Horvath scowled at him and saw the party.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ben and Abigail help Riley up. His palm was wrapped with white linen and he saw that it was bleeding through. His eyes darkened and he looked back at Horvath.

His enemy, but former friend, was the kind of person who acted tough, but he knew him well enough to know when he saw his look he acted arrogant but in reality was desperate to get out of his current situation. Balthazar realized that Horvath, besides failing trying to punch him or get back together with Harvey, really couldn't do that much harm until he got his cane back. But the unexpected happened when Ben punched Horvath squarely in the jaw. He quirked his eyebrow up and heard Ben say,

"That's for kidnapping my friend you jealous jerk!"

Balthazar had to put his hand to his face when Abigail kneed Horvath in a tender area as she quipped, "This is for what you put him through."

It would be safe to say that he really didn't need to do anymore damage and he saw Becky and Dave come in. Dave was still a bit shaky from all the magic he used and looked a bit pale and hungry. He saw Becky looked in the pocket of her sweater and find a random bag of nuts that she gave to Dave. Seemed like Becky figured out when a lot of magic was used, sorcerers tend to get hungry. Dave was extremely happy to see that bag.

But he turned his attention back to his friend, whose lip was bleeding from the hit and sneered.

"Well, you might have the clue but I doubt you will know what to do with it," Horvath said to him. It was at that moment that he heard Riley speak.

"Don't know what to do with the clue, are you kidding me? The clue reads 'May the force be with you!', from _Star Wars_ and the year 10 and 14 is the two sums of the four numbers of the year 1977. I think Excalibur is squared away in one of my father's theatres that played _A New Hope_. One of which my dad owned for a bit and that theatre happened to play _Star Wars_!" Riley gasped. Everyone stared at him. Horvath looked like everyone grown a second head. He shook his head.

Leave it to Mr. Opoel, self-proclaimed fan of _Star Wars,_ to hold a powerful artifact in a theatre somewhere.

**AN: Hope you like this chapter, while in the meantime I get the next chapters prepared please do not hesitate to look at some of my other stories and review them as well! Thanks! **


	19. Well this wasn't planned

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice **_**or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do! **

**AN: So, yes I do have chapter 19 up and ready for you guys to read! Chapters 20-22…I'm writing them I promise, but it might be awhile till I get them to my beta reader! Just bear with me please! I originally intended to finish this way before now, so school is getting in the way with me writing this, but school is really important! Anyways, many thanks again to the incredible ****Blackflufflycloud**** for an awesome beta job! **

**Also, if you guys wouldn't mind checking out ****Fluffblackcloud's**** story "****Interdependence" that would be great! It's a pretty good story as well you should check it out and leave reviews as well! (I'm a horrible person it's FLUFFYBLACKCLOUD not BLACKFLUFFYCLOUD, ignore all my previous AN to that please! **shakes head in shame**)**

**Please enjoy! And don't forget to leave a review as well!**

**Chapter 19: Well this wasn't planned**

_**Dave's POV**_

He was absolutely, positively exhausted. Performing that much spell work took a lot out of him, but the fact was that it wasn't over. He had saved Riley and now they were on a chase to go to one of Riley's father's theatres where _A New Hope _played.

He didn't know that Riley's father was a _Star Wars_ fan, but why should it surprise him? It was popular enough.

Riley told him as they left the building that his father made his money off of real estate and owned two or three cinemas back in the later 1970's, one of them playing _Star Wars A New Hope_. His father apparently loved the saga series so it didn't surprise Riley to find that he planted something like Excalibur underneath a theatre that played it during the opening weekend. But, to be honest, he didn't think something as famous as that was underneath a theatre. It didn't sound all that exciting, not like some gold mine under Mount Rushmore.

Or finding a pipe on a frozen ship, but why was he thinking these thoughts? Considering Harvey was still on the loose and they left Horvath. Even for all the backstabbing and trying to kill him and his master, Horvath was unarmed and it wasn't in anyone's interest to kill him. They left him there, knowing he will stir up trouble but confident they had the upper hand.

At least for now.

Harvey was another matter completely.

He knew what the clue was, but Dave wondered if he knew what it meant. For all he knew he could be taking a flight to the United Kingdom to go searching at Elstree Studios. Becky, considering how tired he was, was helping him. At least she gave him some peanuts; he was hungry after all the magic he exerted. Since they came in no car they had to find a way to the theatre Riley's father owned.

Walking, it seemed, would get them where they needed to go, considering the theatre wasn't very far from their current location. Riley remembered his father telling him which theatre it was where _A New Hope_ was played.

The problem was the old fashioned theatre was now a huge multiplex and Riley paled when he realized it was completely different than what he grew up with. There were a lot of people waiting in line to see the newest flick with the lights bedazzling the dusky night.

It seemed odd that when the fate of the world was in question everyone else could be so absorbed in their own lives. Teenagers were simply talking about _The Green Hornet_ or some new Nicolas Cage flick, but then again, it's not like they actually knew what is going on around them.

He saw this as a problem.

"So, what are we going to do now?" he asked Riley. Riley, it seemed, was the one who knew where to go. Surprisingly enough, they didn't really have to walk too far to get to the theatre Riley was talking about. It was only ten blocks away but that was a strain for him. Becky helped him walk and so did Balthazar.

His legs felt like jelly.

Balthazar told him that using a large amount of magic took a lot out of a sorcerer, considering his body was a conduit for the electrical energy within his nervous system. Balthazar had told him to think of himself like a battery that needed recharging from so much use. He gave Balthazar a sour look.

He was being compared to a battery?

Speaking of which, he looked at his master who seemed troubled and looked as if he was trying to process a large amount of information in a limited amount of time. Balthazar was probably doing just that. He knew his master was proud of him, but then he had a dark look on his face. He wasn't sure what that look was for.

When the whole party saw what the theatre had become, Riley kind of looked shocked and said,

"I was hoping they would keep it original." From what Riley told them, it used to be one of those types of cinemas that had two to three screens and was really old fashioned and the ticket window was outside and had lush satin curtains and comfortable chairs. What they saw was a multiplex, and Ben and Abigail, along with the reluctant Ian Howe, had double-checked with Riley if this was the same cinema. Riley said it was the same address and number that he remembered.

He said he should know considering he saw _Labyrinth _there. Riley looked dejected but Balthazar was walking a completely different direction. He had to shake his head, who knew what his master was up to now.

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_**Benjamin Gates**_ **POV**

He was lucky that Riley, even though a little worse for wear, was alive and now walking with a brisk pace to go to his father's cinema. When Riley repeated the clue he had to shake his head. What was it with _Star Wars_ that got everybody so shaken up? It was just a lot of special effects, clichéd plot, and some mystical mumbo jumbo business.

Then again, with Riley pretty much shoving the movies in front of him to watch and seeing his friend repeat line for line all the quotes with a tub of _Ben & Jerry's_ ice cream made him look at things differently.

He had to hand it to Han Solo, he was certainly a character.

As they walked with a brisk pace he was worried about Harvey screwing things up. Maxim Horvath, apparently Balthazar, Veronica, Becky, and Dave weren't terribly worried about, considering he didn't have any magic and didn't seem that Horvath and Harvey were working together anymore.

When they arrived at the address Riley knew, from the information he was given was expecting a small theatre, easily accessible, and were going to come in quickly and get out. When they arrived, the small theatre that used to be there was now turned into a multiplex with many moviegoers coming and going. It was evening, so it was the prime time to go see a movie.

Riley looked dejected but he saw out of the corner of his eye that Balthazar was walking around the block and he lifted his eyes in question and everybody was following him. Ian now was being held by Abigail and was about to walk away when he heard,

"Ben is that you?" He knew that voice and of all people to run into at this time this was the one person he didn't want to see considering the circumstances.

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He turned around and saw to his astonishment his mother. When she asked that question he saw Abigail turn with Ian and the rest of the group up ahead and turned around. His mother saw Ian and her eyebrows shot up to her forehead and he was wondering how in the world to explain this to his mother of all people.

But that wasn't the worst of it because two seconds later another voice entered the fray and this was definitely one person that he really didn't need to see right now.

It was worst than his mother, or Ian for that matter.

His father and mother were here in New York City, had just seen a movie, and now saw Abigail with Ian Howe, Riley who came forward and had his hand wrapped in the white material but not bleeding as much. Veronica who looked at the three of them in question and Balthazar, Dave, and Becky were giving him questioning looks.

Before he was about to say anything his father looked at the group and glared daggers at Ian Howe,

"Benjamin _Franklin_ Gates, you've got some explaining to do right now, considering what the hell is that snake doing out of prison?" his father all but yelled and his mother, Emily, looked at the scene with the same scrutiny.

This just became extremely more complicated.

Of course, one of the first things to come out of his mouth was,

"What are you doing here mom and dad?" His mouth felt dry. How was he going to explain this? If Ian wasn't in the picture it could have been a bit easier to explain, but it wasn't.

"We just got done with seeing _The Kings Speech_ dear. I know you and Abigail have a lecture in two days at NYU but what I want to know is what in the world is Ian doing here and why does Riley have his hand wrapped, And who are your new friends?" Emily Appleton-Gates said. He could see her guarded expression towards Balthazar, Veronica, Dave, and Becky. Ian didn't need to be mentioned considering their history with one another. Her graying hair had its wavy quality and she was wearing a nice light red skirt suit and his father had some khaki's and a blue shirt and red sweater. They almost looked strangely like before this incident they were having fun… with one another.

It was at this point that he saw Balthazar move to the front of the group and, of all people, he was hoping for Dave to say something, considering maybe he could tell some bull story about showing them around New York and one of the better theatres to go to. But no, it had to be the sorcerer of the 777th degree.

"I'm sorry, Ben, but we don't want to miss our movie do we?" He said with a rather wry smile. whatever Balthazar had up his sleeve it wasn't enough, as his father and mother looked between him and Balthazar who was walking with Dave, Becky, and Veronica and Riley looked between them and waved at Emily who waved back curiously and if matters weren't worse Riley said,

"Emily, uh…look this looks bad, but uh, Ian escaped from prison we found him and now are waiting for Agent Sadusky…and, uh, that guy back there a professor at NYU of European history and his wife and his T.A and the T.A's girlfriend. We were talking with one another at NYU, when they decided to give us a ride around the city and found Ian on the run and out for Ben, but um…we got him I got a scratch and now just want to keep him under surveillance and decided to go to a movie. Looks weird I know, but agent Sadusky said to keep him with us at all times till he gets here within two hours. So, we thought going to a movie sounded good. We were just heading into the theatre." Ben was pretty sure that story wouldn't fly considering how this appeared to be.

It was also the most completely idiotic sounding story to ever to be told.

Especially because his father wasn't buying it, but his mother for whatever reason he knew didn't buy it but what she said otherwise,

"Well, what movie are you seeing? It's been awhile since we been to the movies as a family. Also, I would _love_ to meet this professor of European History at NYU. Oh, and don't tell me that we already saw a movie, I'm up for a double feature so what are you going to see then?" She said as they walked into the theatre when he found a ticket in his pocket. He had to shake his head because this was Balthazar's doing.

He looked at it _True Grit_.

He actually wanted to see that movie, but knowing this was a ploy didn't help matters. His mother looked at the ticket and her ex-husband.

"Ah, the Coen Brothers, sounds good to me." He saw that Riley gave him a smile and he still had the black book that he picked up. Riley was a bit exhausted, and even he was.

But he knew that they weren't going to sit in the theatre for two hours. That seemed too easy.

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_**95 Miles South of New York City in a Private Plane…**_

Agent Sadusky wasn't sure what Ben was thinking calling off his team. He had therefore disregarded his orders, considering there was a FBI wanted man out loose in New York City. Benjamin Gates had no excuse and not even some damn fool exhibition was going to stop him.

He had a job to do for the American people and it seemed that Benjamin Gates needed to remember that.

He blew out a breath. That man could be the most difficult man to deal with; he kidnapped the president of the United States for crying out loud! Of course, they found treasure out of it though. Now Ian Howe had escaped and then a few hours later gets the call from Ben that they have him secured…only a few hours later to be told to disregard what was said earlier.

That he _shouldn't_ come to New York City to pick up Mr. Howe and what was worse, no explanation was given.

He didn't do as Benjamin told him to do.

He was higher up in terms of bureaucracy and he wasn't going to have some crazed man out in New York City. The problem, he realized, was that he didn't know where Benjamin Gates was keeping Ian Howe, which meant that he would eventually have to call him, or Riley, or Abigail because, yes, he did have their numbers.

The problem was that Agent Sadusky knew a few friends went to New York City a few months ago to investigate something out of the ordinary. A few months ago Bowling Green Park one morning was found desecrated, the stone fountain destroyed, wires laying on the grass, scorch marks over the fountain's stone, dried blood that wasn't identified by the New York database, tire marks, lots of car smashes and an overturned VW Beatle. Residents said they didn't hear anything that night, and yet the damage was pretty clear. The Bull statue was missing as well, and that was several tons heavy, how could have it disappeared?

Agent Sadusky didn't deal with those problems but he found out his friends had zero leads. Nothing, zit, nada. The only thing he did hear was that a Rolls Royce Phantom was heading to that area around eleven at night. After that nothing else had come up.

New York City was an odd place, kind of the reason he normally wanted to stay in Capital hill. But with Ben Gates and his posse, along Ian Howe, it seemed his dreams would be crushed. Not that he didn't think what they did wasn't good, finding treasure was the stuff of legends and who knew what other legends were out there?

"Agent Sadusky, we'll be landing in La Guardia Municipal soon and we have private cars booked through the NYPD and have asked them to keep an eye out for Ian Howe," a junior officer stated and he just nodded his head. Once they got in he would make the call.

"Very good."

**AN: If you think these additions came out of nowhere, think again. I planned for a while to have Mr. and Mrs. Gates involved, and Agent Sadusky. Oh, and if you are worried about Harvey and Horvath making an appearance…don't worry I am not done with them yet. **evil grin****


	20. Emily, Patrick & Page 47

**AN: Okay, first apologies for the super, duper, extremely long update! I told you I would not give up on this story! Second off this story is finished in its manuscript format, where I sent chapters 21,22, and the epilogue to my beta-reader (who is super busy with college work, which I can understand)! So, that being said, at some point in time those chapters will be on . **

**Also many, many thanks to the most awesome ****FLUFFYBLACKCLOUD****! For the awesome beta-job (and of course dealing with my nagging). Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter and just to warn you coming up there will be…some surprises so don't think you have this figured out!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Sorcerer's Apprentice **_**or **_**National Treasure**_** Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do! I am not making any money off of this story. I am writing this purely for fun!**

**As always, please do not forget to leave a review! Thanks!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 20: Emily and Patrick and page 47**

_**Emily Appleton-Gates' POV**_

She had wanted to surprise her son and his friends, Abigail and Riley, by flying up to New York City with her ex-husband. It would seem odd that she had decided to give him another chance…if a bit after the whole _Cibola _event. He had really shown that he did still love her but she had sacrificed so much for her son Ben.

But, believe it or not, she did give second chances despite what people may think about her.

She had suggested going to the movies after meeting with an old friend in the neighborhood. She had heard a lot of good things about the movie where Colin Firth plays a stuttering king. Her husband had begrudgingly agreed, considering he wanted to see Jeff Bridges as a cowboy, even though he took the original John Wayne character. As they got out of the theatre she noticed someone oddly familiar with another familiar face and shocked to see another with a whole slew of people she could not identify.

"Ben, is that you?" She asked as he saw her son spin around. He had the deer-in-the-headlights look that went from shocked to surprise…finally to worry. She could see it in his eyes. Out of anxiety or something he had asked her what was she doing here. One minute later she saw Patrick come out of the theatre and she saw, much to her dismay, Abigail holding Ian Howe. The same man who tried to kill her son when he had a faint idea where the Templar Treasure might be.

Patrick, of course, was a little more than surprised at this development, as well as herself. She really didn't like seeing an FBI wanted man within ten feet of her son but he seemed to glower at them and Ben. Though Ian was a surprise to be sure, it was the rest of the company Ben was in that intrigued her. There were two younger individuals who reminded her of some students she had back in Maryland but it wasn't those two, it was the elder couple.

There was a man who, when she did a double take, looked a lot like her son, except he had a little bit of a scruffier face and long curly dirty honey colored blonde hair. He was wearing a rather large and distressed leather duster trench coat. The former, the woman, had dark raven hair and was wearing a black sweater and slacks. She wasn't too sure what her son was doing in the company of these people.

The elder man with dirty blond hair came their way and told Ben they were going to be late for a movie and she narrowed her eyes at that. She knew her son wasn't a big moviegoer, that was more Riley's forte, but when Riley told him their story she knew it was a downright lie, but what could she do? She knew her son was up to something, especially because she saw Riley had his hand wrapped and could see spots of rouge. He was also carrying a small black leather book. There was something off about the man in the leather trench and she couldn't quite place it but for now she would trust that her son was in good company.

That and she would keep her eyes and ears open.

If not, well, then they would have to deal with a mother bear who wanted what was best for her son and would make sure that his friends were safe as well.

She didn't take kindly to any single person who wanted to threaten her son.

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_**Patrick Gates' POV**_

He wanted to punch the man who almost killed his son and friends. What the hell was he doing out of prison? Wasn't agent Sadusky supposed to make sure this megalomaniac was out of sight and never to be within any feet of his son? It didn't matter what story Riley told him, he knew something was going on. The fact was that he saw the company his son was in and didn't trust the older man who looked eerily similar to his son. The woman with black hair looked at the whole scene with curiosity. Then there were two kids who looked a cross between nervous and a bit surprised. One kid had dark hair and a rather awkward appearance. The other was a blonde, cute looking girl who looked very out of sorts with the company she was in.

This whole scene looked ridiculous. He didn't care that Riley said they were going to the movies; he knew it to be a lie right off the bat. The problem was that whatever his son got himself into he would need dragging out, which he always did. But for the life of him, he wanted to know what the _real_ deal with Ian was.

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_**Balthazar's POV**_

He knew the already delicate situation just became slightly more precarious. When he heard the woman's voice ask if who she was looking at was Ben and his response was mother, every part of him sparked in irritation, frustration, and…well sympathy. He hadn't seen his parents in a very, very long time. The fact was that they had been dead for well over 1400 years. The problem was that they had to find Excalibur first and it wasn't really the time for family reunions.

That and Harvey was still on the loose and who knew what trouble he would stir up or if he had an idea where Excalibur might be.

There's was also the possibility Horvath came too and might still be working with Harvey despite everything. Morganians were known to double cross one another.

He knew that explanations would be needed but he already felt incredibly guilty for getting four civilians involved in something each individual person had no control over. Especially three relatively well people known for finding the Templar Treasure and treasure at Mount Rushmore. Though, technically speaking, Riley wasn't really a civilian. His father was a Merlinian and so was he by blood, even if he didn't have _the gift_. Riley, from what he heard, had a way with technology…even if for less legitimate measures.

That was hidden potential. Sometimes magic didn't happen with making a plasma bolt but using one's mind to further mankind. Balthazar wasn't lying when he told Dave about Nikolai Tesla, Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Isaac Newton, and other scientists who changed the way man thought. Sometimes though that got people in trouble and if he didn't think of something the spitfire questions would be asked rather soon.

Luckily he was the sort of person who could think quickly on his feet. He walked up to the elder Gates and told Ben they were going to be late for their movie and looked at the board and waved tickets into all their pockets for _True Grit_. They all walked into the theatre and he took Dave with him saying they were going to get popcorn. Ben said he needed to use the restroom and Abigail had used the same excuse. Ben had asked his parents to save them some seats and they had taken Ian along with them. His hope was that he wouldn't squeal and if he did... well, let's just say that he would get his just desserts…or bacon.

The problem was that Balthazar hated lying but they wouldn't be sitting in those seats at all. They all congregated near the back restrooms nobody went to, and Riley had told them where his father's office was formerly located to see if he hid it there. It sounded like a good idea, when they walked into the back area and there was a dark hall and a door that wasn't used. Riley opened it and saw it was a storage room. It would see that the theatre and the building next to it were brought together to make the multiplex that was why the older parts of the theatre were not used.

Riley looked around the storage room and the rest of the group moved boxes trying to find latches of some kind. He waved his hand trying to find hidden wards protecting something and felt nothing. It was then that Riley remembered he had the journal and opened it. It was a little dark in the room with the limited light so he conjured a small flame in his hand and held it down. The Gate's eyes were shocked but they kept it concealed. He knew how it looked but Riley just muttered a thanks and he saw the black script write on its own accord:

_A theatre owned by a family man_

_He loved that particular series_

_But that has nothing to do with where to go next_

_This was a diversion_

_For one person in the room was told something_

_A year back_

_By a commander in chief_

_Another in the room_

_Knows a lot for he has seen the world_

_He knows what the commander in chief told the other man_

_Considering he was there when it was written in the book_

_11_

_But what should also be known is that the item of affections is not here_

_To go where it is_

_One needs to know their history_

_Considering the location was completed May 20, 1930_

_One has used its services more than once_

_One has contemplated throwing it all away_

_And one got over fears there_

_The skies are calling, but also are the grounds_

Balthazar knew exactly where the location of the sword was. When Riley had finished reading the clue it seemed that Ben, Abigail, and Riley were starring at the page while Dave looked at him as well as Becky and Veronica. He knew the last part was obvious, considering he saw, back in 1930, the completion of the Chrysler building but he also knew about the earlier clue as well.

But all were looking at Benjamin and Abigail**.**

Abigail said, "Ben the book can't possibly be referring to page 47 can it? I mean, I was pretty sure page 47 was something about another lost treasure or the Free Masons or something along those lines." Dave, Becky, and Veronica's eyebrows rose to their foreheads.

He was the only one in the party who was not, considering the book was right he knew what page they were talking about and what book.

The Presidents book, the book that isn't supposed to exist yet it does, much like sorcery. Ben and Abigail looked at him, seeing he was the only one in the room who wasn't surprised.

"You know what we are talking about, don't you?" Ben asked him. Balthazar didn't hear a surprised tone but a resigned tone that spoke that he knew this was coming.

He nodded his head.

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_**Emily Appleton-Gates' POV**_

"I don't expect you to corporate, Mr. Howe, but seeing as there are the two of us and Agent Sadusky is on the way you better tell us the truth. How in the world did you escape?" Patrick said.

Emily could see her ex-husband grill the criminal who told him that was the easiest explanation and that he used some help from the outside with his funds. Perfect timing. It was the rest of the story that they couldn't believe.

"That's utter nonsense, Ian, and bunch of lies. Seriously, why are you here?" she said rather sharply. Everyone was looking at them in the theatre and they whispered sharply so they wouldn't cause any more commotion. Emily realized it had been about twenty minutes and none of them were back. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach that something strange was going on.

Something normally did when her son was hiding something from her. Unless he needed her help.

"Would I lie about that fact that there are sorcerers in Manhattan? Or that Excalibur is real, Emily and Patrick?" Ian said with a strained voice and Patrick raised his eyebrows.

"Excalibur you say, Ian? That's a load of bull and you know it. It's a legend, myth, children's stories for Christ sakes!" Patrick laughed at this and Emily even had to give a dark chuckle. Seriously, as a historian she was no amateur when it came to myths, even though she was much more interested in Mayan history. Arthurian legend? Well now she had heard everything.

"You're saying that the guy with the trench coat is like some Merlin and the kid is some kind of apprentice, Ian? God, you must have been in the prison too long, your brain is starting to get a little out there," Patrick managed to say and had a smile on his lips knowing the man was getting what he deserved. But Emily could see that Ian wasn't lying to them and that he was telling the truth. The fact was this was highly improbable and unbelievable.

Then again treasure hunting is the same way, but there were clues. Where are the clues for this? This wasn't some kind of Disney movie where the impossible happened; it was real life with real people. The problem was why couldn't she shake the thought that Ian was telling them the absolute truth. She decided that Patrick would look after Ian and she was going to investigate what her son had gotten himself into this time.

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_**Ben Gate's POV**_

Ben had never gone back after that day to see what Page 47 had read. He still had the picture on his cell phone, which he had on his person. The thing is that Riley's book mentioned page 47 of the President's book?

But it couldn't? Could it?

The possibilities of what was on that particular page came to mind. Why would the President tell him to look at that page? What was on it?

Riley himself even seemed a bit surprised as to this new piece of information.

Some members of the party were not sure what was going on but there was one member who was fairly quiet.

He didn't like it.

Balthazar looked at them and realized explanations were in order.

But Ben wanted to be the one to get the explanations first.

"Okay, what is it you're not telling us, Balthazar? You know what is on that page don't you, from the President's book," Ben stated. Balthazar just nodded his head.

This was going to be good.

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_**Six Blocks away from the Chrysler Building…**_

_**Maxim Horvath's POV**_

He was fuming to be once again left in the dust by a small time Morganian who knew how to teleport. His former colleague had decided to not kill him, considering he was unarmed without his cane, but he would get his revenge, yes he would. He looked up and saw to his seething anger the Chrysler building and it's Gargoyles, the same one his ex-best friend Balthazar Blake had used to not only defeat him once, but twice.

He did not know where the clue was, or what it meant. He only knew it was from a popular movie. So he did what he normally would never do, he went into one of those rental shops where the man working the counter reminded him very much of Balthazar's apprentice not very much to look at reading some magazine with a picture of some heavy machinery or other and could read the word "Halo" on it. The man, or really boy, looked up at him.

"I want to know what movie has May the force…" Horvath was going to finish when the kid widened his eyes and looked like he was from another land, which he was.

But he wasn't going to get into technicalities.

"Be with you is from? Dude like where you been, Mars? That's from _Star Wars_!" The boy said to him with surprise. So this movie was _Star Wars_? But why did the book have a clue referring to a cheap thrill of entertainment? This book led to the most important sword ever to be created and here some drab man wearing an overly large shirt and too bright hat knew the answer. He left the shop angrier than before. He realized however that he saw the familiar form of Harvey Whitefield and he was heading towards the Chrysler Building.

He followed him.


	21. Emily's Surprise

_**Yes, I know it has been quite awhile hasn't it? Okay here is the deal my beta seems to be MI,A and I haven't heard from her in two months. This story is finished, and I am going to go over the next couple of days and edit the rest of the chapters myself. So that means the rest of the story will be un-betaed. I hope that is okay with everyone? I am EXTREMELY SORRY for the long update, really I am!**_

**Also, as always I do not own _National Treasure _or _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ Disney and Jerry Bruckhiemer do! **

_**Please don't forget to leave a review! Thanks!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 21: Emily's Surprise**

_**Harvey's POV**_

He teleported after jumping out the window and landed hard on the ground at least three blocks away. His shoulders and his back hurt. He was fairly weak from all the magic he used. That was fine because he had the clue he needed, and contrary to popular belief, he was no fool. He wasn't going to fly up to England, because he knew for a fact Daniel Opoel never went abroad. One would believe that he would go to one of the hundreds of theatres in New York finding the one of the theatres _A New Hope_ played at.

But he was smart because he knew the location wasn't a theatre. He knew it was somewhere else that had a resignation. The thing is one would think to fly to San Francisco and head up to Lucasfilm Ranch, but he shook his head knowing that was not going to happen, nor was that the location.

No he knew where it was because he remembered something from one of his followings of Daniel Opoel. He and his wife were doing some business dealings in the Chrysler building when Daniel asked one of the supervisors' to go and get an Elizabeth Spears.

The supervisor at the time wasn't in professional dress seeing as this was on a Saturday, he was wearing a _Star Wars_ shirt.

Oh yes, Daniel could be very tricky but he knew that the sword was most likely in the vaults of the Chrysler building because it wasn't very well known that for as much real estate as Mr. Opoel owned his grandfather had a hand in the construction of the Chrysler building. It was a place that meant a lot to him, and the _Star Wars_ was a precautionary measure. Well, Harvey smirked it wasn't good enough seeing as he knew how Daniel thought. As he took a taxi to the Chrysler building, only to realize he didn't have enough money and seven blocks from got out and ran the rest of the way there. He looked a little worse for wear when he stood outside the large glass doors and went inside.

He remembered seeing the brown hair of the woman named Elizabeth Spears, who led Mr. Opoel down to the vaults. When Mr. Opoel and Mrs. Spears went down to the vaults he knew he couldn't watch anymore, so he left the building. He went up to the front desk and saw that many people were leaving for the day. He hoped Elizabeth was still in her office.

The receptionist was a fairly elderly woman who just put down the phone and asked him if he had an appointment. He said he didn't, but wanted to ask a Mrs. Elizabeth Spears a question. She looked at him curiously and went to the phone and called.

"She'll be down in a moment," the receptionist said and he sighed. The woman put a clipboard in front of him.

"I would like to know your name and the reason's as to why you need to talk to Mrs. Spears. She normally doesn't get called down a lot." The receptionist said in a curt voice. He just told her she knew a friend of his.

Or did anyway, before he stepped in, he inwardly smirked.

When Elizabeth came down she was older and still had brown hair, which was graying. She looked at him and he could see she was cautious towards him.

"Hello Mrs. Spears my name is Mr. Whittaker and I wanted to talk to you about a friend of mine who had a tragic death many years ago. He left something to me that was not in his will, and I was wondering if you would help me with this?" He said rather nicely but with a hinge of urgency in it. But he saw that Elizabeth Spears wasn't responding as he would have liked.

"Karen can you call security, this man is a fraud," she said, but he thought this wasn't going to be as simple as he wished it to be was it. He stopped Karen from calling on the phone and with his magic he pushed her away, and Karen fell to the floor. He saw that Elizabeth's eyes narrowed. She had a cell phone on her and she got it out and typed in a number. He wanted to see what was going on, because he couldn't kill her he needed to know what she knew.

"Hello Riley dear? I know it has been a really, really long time but this is Mrs. Spears. You know your father's stakeholder? I realize you probably have many important things to do, but I wanted to let you know that there is something I need to tell you and I would like it if you came down to the Chrysler Building seeing as I know your friends are in New York as well as you," she put her cell away and he looked her with hard eyes.

"Well you must be who Daniel warned me about. Whatever is your after isn't going to get to you considering I know your _secret_ and his as well, even though I can't do it," he saw that she had a small revolver in her purse and looked at it.

"I never had to use this, but I knew dealing with Daniel it would be dangerous, but he saved my life and my family's and I promised I would help him and his family. That means to keep whatever he hid away safe, and to call people he trust when I saw you. I had his son's number since I still do dealings with him from time to time, unfortunately his other friend's line went dead about ten years ago," she calmly stated and held the gun at point range.

He inwardly laughed and forgot he had magic he could use and forced her to the wall. She shot, the bullet didn't hit him, but what it did hit, no one could see. It went through a wall and inside that wall was a something that Daniel Opoel put in years ago. He had told Mrs. Spears if one Harvey was to ever find his way there and call for her to shoot at this one spot and a whole array of special defenses for his keepsake would hold till his son came.

Elizabeth had done exactly that and saw that Harvey took a knife and killed her. She just hoped that Riley knew the secret, after all, she wasn't exactly had magic, but she was a seer and knew that when Benjamin Gates picked up that black book that he would recruit Riley and they would become good friends.

She died knowing that things had come together just as she foreseen, otherwise why else would she want to talk to some stranger?

But just before her world turned dark she saw another figure with a black bowler hat come into the building.

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_**Riley's POV**_

Balthazar was about to tell what he knew when the impossible happened. Riley got back his cell phone from Ben, luckily it didn't leave the Blake's residence and Ben had kept it with him. His cell phone rang, but the voice on the other side he didn't expect at all.

It was a call he never saw coming.

Elizabeth Spears his father's friend and stakeholder for his father's property wanted to talk to him at the Chrysler building? Of all places, the same place they had to go to?

Seeing as he would call this a coincidence, but with the company he was in, well he would need to use a different word.

Then he remembered something that happened in the past. He knew something was off about her. It was when his father one time brought him to the Chrysler building and said that he really liked computers, she said to him absentmindedly that he would use them to find something. It had been rather vague, but that wasn't the instance that frightened him.

It was a year before his father's death and the fact that he was with Mrs. Spears while his father was in a meeting. One minute she was fine and talking to him about his favorite movie and the next moment she faints. He remembers pulling her to his dad's office couch and he sees her eyes are glazed over and she mumbles a lot of incoherent sayings.

"Treasure…..prime…well traveled….eagle….parents…..Tesla…" and he remembers that her hand goes to her pocket and she takes out a notebook and starts scrambling on the notepad. After the whole affair he looks at the notepad and realizes nothing is in English, it looks to be Latin.

It had petrified him, and when his father came back into the office and saw her lying he told his father what happened.

His response: she had a dizzy spell and what she wrote wasn't Latin it was made up. His father told him that Elizabeth took French in college, how would she know Latin to begin with? Well, except what Latin there was in French.

But he would never forget the look on his father's face, the look his father didn't even know he saw.

It was grim, very, very grim.

Thinking about what he knew now, he was sure that something was up. That she knew and was something, not a sorcerer, but something.

Everyone looked at him and asked who was it?

His response was he looked up at Balthazar who in return gave him a questioning glance,

"Since sorcery is real, does that mean seers are as well?"

Everyone looked at him as if he grew a second head, except for Veronica and Balthazar. He asked him why he wanted to know and told him the name Elizabeth Spears.

It seemed Balthazar knew her too.

But what they were not expecting however with all this conversation was that one Emily Appleton was searching the theatre and had gone to the back alley of the theatre and heard voices only to hear Riley's voice when he mentioned sorcery is real and there was a loud cough as everyone turned to look at one rather steely gazed Emily Appleton and a few seconds later a rather heated Patrick Gates and Ian Howe.

Riley knew he was dead.

It looked like the secret of page 47 would be found out later.

As well as how did Balthazar know his father's friend stakeholder?

His head hurt, this was getting more and more confusing.

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_**Emily Appleton-Gate's POV**_

It had been forty five minutes and she waited long enough, the movie had started after the five previews and they had just met Jeff Bridges character when she pulled Patrick and Ian out and noticed that Riley, Ben, Abigail, and their "friends," were not there. She knew the snack bar line wasn't that long, nor was the restrooms. It was time to go find her son and see what he got himself sucked into this time.

It was one of the things her and her husband, Patrick it seemed could agree on. So, they had left the theatre and were wandering the halls. It was then that Patrick realized that the cinema was a combined building effort and that this used to be an old theatre. Emily realized this when rooms were getting smaller, and the paint differed. They were entering the older section of the theatre and could hear voices, voices very familiar to her. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she could hear Riley's cell phone ring tone.

It was the _Indiana Jones _main theme, how could anyone miss that?

Then there was silence, a snap, and then what she heard next she stopped in her tracks.

"_Since sorcery is real, does that mean seers are as well?" _

She couldn't believe what she just heard and she wanted answers now. So she coughed rather exaggeratedly and she saw her husband with Ian come too and everyone in the group was looking at her. Riley, the boy with black hair who was supposed to be a TA, and the TA's girlfriend who had blonde hair, and Ben who just turned to see her and put his hand on his face in frustration.

"Mom…" Ben was about to say, but what came next wasn't from her mouth, no it was Patrick.

"Benjamin Franklin Gates what is going on? I want some answers now son!" Abigail reflected she could agree wholeheartedly. Ben though looked like the cross between extreme frustration and exasperation.

"Mom, Dad could this wait…you know a few hours or better yet, a day or two?" He said as she was standing with her son in an older part of a theatre with a criminal, four people she didn't know she could trust, Abigail, Riley, her son, and as well as her ex-husband.

The next moment though was unexpected when the man, who was the "supposed" history professor, stepped forward and said,

"I can see this is a confusing situation, and you want answers. Here is the deal we need to get out of the theatre and head to the Chrysler Building. _En route_ Ben as well as Riley will explain," with that she saw the supposed history professor walk and the younger man and his girlfriend and the older woman with black hair. Ben and Riley stared at him and it was now the five of them as they were walking behind the four members.

As Ben started telling her what was going on the more unbelievable it sounded. Riley's father a sorcerer, murdered by an evil sorcerer, the black book in Riley's hand a map to the most exulted weapon in all history: the Excalibur sword, and the fact that the so-called history professor isn't a professor, but is in fact a master sorcerer over 1400 years of age and the younger man his apprentice.

Ben realized how unbelievable this all sounded, but the thing is Ben believed there was some people in some real danger and they had to go and help them.

Her son and his hero's complex.

Emily at that moment knew she and Patrick just joined another treasure hunt, but this time this wasn't dealing with American history, or even European history.

This was something far more ancient than her first thought…well not as ancient as the Incan and Mayan societies. Not that she was going to complain, well she would, but considering that apparently there were two evil sorcerers on the loose she thought best just to keep her mouth shut and trust that everything will turn out fine.

Then, she would have a stern talking to her son.

It was then that she realized that she just walked a few steps and they were only a few steps away from the Chrysler building and she looked at Ben. Ben looked back at her.

"Balthazar's doing, he teleported us, though a heck a lot more smoother than Dave did," Emily wasn't sure what to believe, but when they all entered the Chrysler building and saw a bloodied figure and no police she was starting to get a bit worried.

What was going on? She knew some things from Ben's explanation, but…

It was then she heard Balthazar and Riley run over to the prone form, as well as the woman Veronica.

What had she gotten herself into?

Then again it was never an ordinary day to be a Gates…or a supposed Gates.

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_**Maxim Horvath's POV**_

When he saw the woman with blood pooling from her chest he wanted to know why Harvey had killed the woman, but he saw that Harvey turned around and saw him.

"I suppose you didn't do this just for fun? Considering knowing my nemesis will find a way to find both of us, or his too-lucky apprentice and their new friends," Horvath snarled. Harvey looked up at him.

"We don't need to find the book Excalibur sword is down in the vaults and I think today will be a glorious day," Harvey said to him. Well, now things had turned considerably around.

"Well, what are we standing here for we don't have much time." Horvath said to Harvey and both of them started heading downstairs deep into the underbelly of the famed Chrysler building.

_Confused? Things will make sense I promise :-) _

_Next update? Sometime this weekend most likely or I might do everyday just depends. _


	22. The Once and Future Sorcerer

_**Hello again!**_

_**I decided to update again and this is a long chapter. Am I getting the sense no one likes this story anymore seeing as I have two new chapters and no reviews? I know it has been awhile, but come on! I've spent a long time writing this story and to see no reviews would break my heart. Seriously takes less than a minute!**_

_**Anyways, I do not own National Treasure or The Sorcerer's Apprentice Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do!**_

_**Please enjoy!**_

**Chapter 22: The Once and Future sorcerer, treasure hunter, enemy, and FBI agent?**

_**Ben's POV**_

He realized as he was explaining to his mom how unbelievable the last forty eight hours seemed. His mother and father were asking him questions and sometimes he didn't know what to say, it was all fairly surreal and unbelievable.

Still seeing as events just confounded upon each other, what would happen next?

However his mother did mention that if they made it out of her alive she would want to have tea with Balthazar considering all the history he had seen and saw through his own eyes. His mother would say that…heck he was even thinking about himself minus the tea part. But now wasn't the time for that and he had tried to convince her they had more important matters to attend to seeing as there were some pretty bad guys out there and they needed to stop them.

Why did he have to buy that black book anyways all those years ago?

They were currently in front of the Chrysler building and when they opened the doors saw a woman's form pooling blood from her stomach and he saw Riley and Balthazar rush over.

Ben knew that the stakes had just gotten higher, but what he wasn't expecting was that his cell phone went off. Everybody heard it and he opened it up to see the number.

Agent Peter Sadusky's number showed up.

What in the world? Didn't he just call him half dozen hours ago to call him off? He flipped his phone open a little angrily; he didn't need this now, right now with a woman's bloody form in front of them.

"Sadusky what you want? I'm a bit busy at the moment." he said to the FBI agent. He was agitated and Abigail looked over her eyebrows rising higher than normal and mouthing what was going on.

"Look Gates I don't know what you are up to, or what is going on but I don't feel comfortable having a FBI wanted man out on the streets. Do you still have him secure? And we don't need to know where you are because, yes we are tracking you. Putting down the phone won't do any good we know you're at the Chrysler building Ben. I know we are somewhat friends, but this is for the safety of the citizens of New York as well as yourself. See you soon Ben and please still have Mr. Howe for us." Ben almost dropped his phone when everyone looked at him.

"It's Sadusky and he's come for Ian, but worse of all he knows where we're at and they are on their way here. This is going to be hard to explain with a dead body and we need to find that sword before Harvey does…" Ben went off about until Balthazar's made his voice be known.

"And Horvath," Balthazar added and everybody looked at him but he was holding up a rather antiquated watch.

"This was his, he must have dropped it. Looks like the two of them are working together again. Good news, Riley your father was a smart man he put reinforced wards on the lower parts of the building so it will take awhile for our friends to break through them, that and I bet wherever your father protected the sword he has some kind of defense spell or mechanism. The bad news is where is the sword located?" Balthazar said as everyone looked at Riley.

Ben saw Riley open the book again and read the clue out loud:

_Deep underneath the building the prize lays_

_But for all it is not that simple_

_For the Once and Future King was betrayed by his own son and half sister_

_So have four others been betrayed by those they trusted at one time_

_Secrets are being kept as we speak_

_And for one he has to tell it and the other will find out_

Ben frowned at that clue. It really didn't make much sense, not at all.

But then he remembered that Balthazar knew something about Page 47. But what did that have to do with anything?

Did that mean that the black book and page 47 of the President's page were connected? He wouldn't believe that. It seemed that the older sorcerer as well as Veronica, and Riley were taking care of the dead body and cleaning up the blood. That certainly would have been a little complicated to talk to the cops about. It was then that Balthazar turned around and said,

"I guess I should tell you my secret," and everybody looked at him. Ben wanted to hear this knowing that the president told him about Page 47.

Although, Balthazar looked a little uneasy and risked a glance at Dave, which Ben noticed. It seemed everyone else was too preoccupied by their own thoughts.

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_**Balthazar's POV**_

He knew a lot of things happened, but what he didn't tell anybody is this.

One of many things that he kept behind closed doors.

That one of the leaders of the United States of America had the black book before Riley's family was in possession of it. He knew that particular family rather well, believe it or not. It had disturbed him when he found out the husband had an early death by being assassinated. Everybody believed it was some sort of political assassination; well the family built it up to be that way.

It was really some stupid Morganian parading around as an opponent to the Commander-in-Chief. At the time, the Morganian decided to make a scene, and was arrested by the local authorities. Later he had gotten on his hands on him after the arrest.

The reason how this connected was that, Daniel's family had been friends with the Kennedys and when the assassination had occurred they passed down the book to Daniel's father and then Daniel got it when his father passed away.

He wasn't saying John F. Kennedy was a Merlinian sorcerer. That would have been wrong a sorcerer in that position of power. No, it was his wife, Jackie, whose family had the book and had brought him into this particular world. Jackie and her family were friends with the Opoel's; it was just that she married a man who would become the youngest president. President John F. Kennedy elected as the president of the United States, Jackie's husband, through him for a loop when that occurred.

If it was ironic, John F. Kennedy and his wife had been a fan of New York City, not as much as Washington D.C, but they had taken a liking to the Chrysler building.

That's the thing now he realized, the sword didn't move, and he knew this all along. The black book however was necessary. The problem was that even though he wasn't a good liar, it wasn't _his_ destiny to find the sword and replace its position or to take it. It was originally the Kennedy's, well Jackie to be honest, but then the Opoel's after her husband became president.

He told this to everyone and they all had their jaws dropping. Page 47 was stating that magic did indeed exist. He had vehemently told John not to write something, but his concern was what if an all battle became known what was he going to tell? Because Jackie had told her husband about everything. Balthazar had conceded when he knew where he was putting this down. That it wouldn't be mass knowledge that all the presidents would know, and as long as everything was within normal means there was nothing to worry about.

On Page 47 it was printed that magic did indeed exist, and only under the most extreme of circumstances would he be called to fix it and would let the general public know. It was also on that page all the national forests were put into place to keep dryad populations healthy, unicorns free roaming ground, and believe it or not there was a small dragon in the Grand Canyon to keep them protected and away from harm.

It was literally telling the presidents that not only did magic exist, but a whole another world did as well and only under the most extreme conditions would the rest of the country know about it. Boy would people either believe the president was crazy, which would be their first assumption, but the fact that Area 51's real use is a control center to make sure all of that is taken care of. The UFO was just a cover up.

People more willing to believe in aliens than magic? Well there was a probability for both.

He wanted to know why the current president would want to tell Benjamin about this, but then again he knew something else as well and it would seem that it was unavoidable.

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_**Dave's POV**_

Well he didn't know that about his master.

He really couldn't picture it, his master at the White House for the annual Easter egg roll during Easter. But all of this was astonishing and Abigail and Ben looked at Riley who was just as surprised. Riley had no idea that his grandparents were friends with the Kennedy's, considering he didn't really meet them that much, his grandparents that is.

The only question Dave had is how did all this relate? That was when they all saw Balthazar call them and told them why the story he told had anything to deal with their current dilemma. They went to the elevators and went to the lowest floor. And all of them Ben, Riley, Balthazar, Veronica, Patrick, Emily, Ian, Becky, and himself were on the lowest floor. It looked like a regular service hallway where there was a door marked:

KENNEDY

And they all went in there.

It was then they found themselves in a normal office and it seemed like a dead end, when Dave saw Balthazar go to the only bookshelf in the office and looked through the titles and took out the copy of _L'Morte De Arthur_ and that was when a secret entrance opened up. Everyone stared at Balthazar.

Who shrugged his shoulders in return.

"Lucky guess," Dave highly doubted it.

They all went down the stairs wondering what they would find.

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_**Maxim Horvath's POV**_

They were in the vaults of the Chrysler building and came down some stairs to an office room where they took out the book to get to their current position. They were in some kind of vault. Harvey believed it to be in there and tried to use magic to open it and Horvath saw that it was under secure wards and wouldn't open by magic. It was then that he saw on the door a clue of some kind:

**To open answers must be seen**

**In order to give answers a question will be asked**

**Place hand on dial**

Horvath did so wondering what was going to come and saw the first question etch itself on the door:

_I like the island Manhattan, smoke on your pipe and put Latin!_

_Where is this from?_

What sort of question was that and Harvey looked at it.

"I think it is from a musical," Horvath groaned and asked Harvey if he knew the answer. He was looking it up. This would be comical, but he was on a tight schedule.

Especially if the other party found out where they were or opened this vault before they did.

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._**Riley's POV**_

They had come down into a chamber with a large vault and it seemed they were the only ones there, except…

"They're here, this vault is two sided we just can't see the other side," Riley heard Balthazar say and wondered how to open the vault it was the most likely place for the sword. Balthazar, Dave, and Veronica tried to use magic to open it and realized it wouldn't be open by magic nor did it look like it needed a key. It was then that Riley saw something etched into the door:

**To open answers must be seen**

**In order to give answers a question will be asked**

**Place hand on dial**

He looked at the party and put his hand on the dial and saw a something come up:

_Everything free in America! Buying on credit is so nice! Skyscrapers bloom in America! Industry boom in America! Life can be bright in America!_

_Where is this from?_

That sounded really familiar. It was then that Becky saw this and she said,

"That's from _A West Side Story_," there was a loud groan was heard and they saw that there was a dial that went from ten to nine. And everyone looked at Becky…she blushed.

"Looks like to open the vault ten questions have to be answered correctly and Becky just answered the first one, well done," Ben said and even Balthazar agreed. The next question came up:

_Three Laws_

_What does this refer to?_

Abigail looked at it and so did Ben.

"Do you think it has something to do with the laws of America? Or Europe? What had three laws?" Ben pondered all the while Dave was thinking and Riley saw him thinking deeply.

"I wonder if it is referring to Newton's three basic laws of motion," Dave said and it was then another groan was heard and the number changed from nine to eight and everybody looked at him and Balthazar smiled.

"Looks like it," Dave had to shake his head. The first question dealt with musicals, which was Becky's forte, his was physics and an idea popped into his head.

"I think the questions are directed at each of us and our strengths, which seems weird, but the first one dealt with music, which was Becky's forte and the last question was physics so I wonder what is next," Dave said.

Riley saw that everyone gave him a funny look, but surprisingly Emily said.

"It seems plausible, but we'll have to wait and see," Emily finished and he looked to see what the next clue is.

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_**Other side of the Vault**_

_**Harvey's POV**_

He found out the line was from the _West Side Story_ and now they were on their seventh clue, the eighth one was fairly easy seeing as it dealt with physics, which he knew a good deal of. But this was so totally out of his element.

He failed US history.

Horvath wasn't much of a help because he didn't really keep track of what was going on around him, and he was trying to dig into the recesses of his mind to figure out this question.

_Elizabeth Cady Stanton 1848, what event occurred during this time?_

What was this?

Was this even US history to begin with?

Horvath looked at him and barked,

"Do you know the answer considering I believe we have company! This is a double sided enchanted vault and we have to answer the ten questions first before they do! We are wasting time!"

"Look I'm trying to remember! I failed US history and had to retake it twice in high school! So sue me, and don't give me that sour look that history is important! Let's see 1848 what happened then, something in the US that is for sure…I think," Harvey replied calmly. Looking at the livid man who looked like he wanted to take him out and he looked back to the steel vault that was fairly large in an exterior fashion and shiny.

He knew this was going to be a rough time.

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_**On the other side of the vault…**_

_**Abigail's POV**_

The next question made itself known:

_Hwæt. We Gardena in gear-dagum_

Abigail had no idea what that was from, but she knew it was Old English and her head turned towards the two people in the room who might have an idea where this is from.

Veronica looked at it,

"Though I remember being told, I believe that's the opening line from _Beowulf_," and there was another groan heard and she had a look of triumph on her face. They successfully answered three of the ten questions, which seemed to be getting more challenging as the time went on. She only hoped that whatever question was for her she would be able to answer it.

She saw that Balthazar was looking at the vault and saw his eyes go weary.

She wondered what his question would be?

Another question appeared

_Four Score and Seven years ago…_

The clue didn't even complete when half the party announce the Emancipation Proclamation. Another groan was heard when the dial turned from seven to six. Ben looked at the rest of the party,

"These clues so far have been easy, I smell that something else is going on," the rest of the group nodded with his assessment. Truth be told, she wondered how the clues matched up to everyone, it didn't make any sense, none at all.

All she could help was they had the easier side of the deal.

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Other side of the vault

_Harvey's POV_

A snap of the fingers,

"Damn okay I know what it is now, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the front runners during the women's suffrage movement in the United States," Harvey exclaimed and there was a groan and Harvey smiled.

Horvath not so much.

"For all we know Harvey, your insolence could have lost us the sword by now," Maxim Horvath seethed to Harvey who looked at him with hard eyes.

"Hey, I'm the one who got us here okay! What have you been doing besides standing there nothing! You don't even have your cane with the focusing crystal. You're unarmed, and I'm not. So quit your whining," Harvey raised his voice and they both saw the next clue.

_Fair maiden for who wars were fought over_

Harvey raised his eyebrows, "That's easy it's Helen of Troy," he said and Maxim raised his eyebrows. So he was into Greek mythology big deal at least he knew the answer.

There was no groan from the vault. Harvey thought fast.

"Juliet from _Romeo and Juliet _Shakespeare's grand tragedy of lost love," he said and he was looking at the dial still six. Harvey was getting frustrated.

"What could the answer be if not those two," Harvey seethed inwardly and was pacing back and forth.

Maxim on the other hand had an inkling idea, and that was the time his guilt decided to step in. He squashed it; at least he thought he did.

"Veronica," he said simply, almost caringly with some grief.

A groan was heard and Harvey looked at him.

"Huh, never would have figured the clues would cut so close to home," Harvey said as they waited for the next clue.

Maxim only stood knowing that if there was a personal question on his side, that there would be on the other.

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Treasure Party side of the vault

_Ben's POV_

The group awaited, it took awhile for the next clue to appear, when it did it simply read

_Investor_

There were a lot of questioning looks.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ben said aloud and tried to work it out in his mind.

"Investor, investor to the Chrysler building or…" he looked over at Riley and asked,

"Riley did your father have an investor?" Riley shook his head.

"No my father did a lot of the financial stuff himself. I'm not sure what this clue is referring to," Ben was in an agitated mood. What if that Maxim character and his side kick got to the sword first? Then where would they be. This clue made no sense to say the least.

But Ian looked indignantly,

"Well I should know things dealing with investors because I am an investor, or was anyways," Ian glowered.

A groan was heard and everyone looked at him. He saw the dial go from six to five. Balthazar raised an eyebrow and Patrick said,

"Imagine that the good for nothing man actually says something smart," Patrick said and Ian was seething and was about to get close to his father when Ben stopped him.

"Right now Ian, despite what you might think we have more important measures to deal with," and with that the rest of the party could agree.

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On the Streets of New York City

_Peter Sadusky's POV_

It had been awhile since he last came to New York City, to be honest it was when he was training to become a FBI agent and then…

Well that was another story for another day. Somehow he thought that he would be seeing more than one wayward friend today.

The events he knew some colleagues of his were investigating around Battery Park a few months ago already told him enough about what occurred.

The fate of the world was at stake and you couldn't see that coming without some repercussions. To say the least, that seemed rather clean for what would have been the apocalypse. Still, as the dark as night sedans were racing through the streets of New York City to the Chrysler building time was of the essence. Once they got there, Peter jumped out he saw a dead body once he got within the Chrysler building. The FBI officials around him looked at the leader of this team.

"Sir do you think this was Ian Howe's work?" a newbie said he looked around and saw that for the most part the blood was cleaned up, but there was no doubt the woman was dead.

"Not sure Agent Collins, not sure," he said as he saw there was some burn scarring on her chest. No gun or punch could do that.

"Sir, security here says there was a breach in the system, but the weird thing is they say is that all the cameras are fuzzed out for the lower hallways for a few hours. No one knows what happened sir," Ian looked at the stairwell and said,

"Looks like we need to find out then, after all there is a man wanted by the FBI," he said and the patrols got into formation and followed him.

He sure hoped he knew what they were in for, and how he was going to explain this to the bureau when he reported back to them.

They went down as far as the stairs took them and they were in an old hallway with doors.

"Sir, there doesn't seem to be anything down here, its abandoned why would Ian Howe come down here. To hide? Seems a bit petty to me," the officers looked at them and some of the younger recruits laughed and he silenced him.

This was no laughing manner, what do the recruits believe themselves to be, Agent 007?

"Pipe down, look we don't know what we are dealing with. Ian Howe had help he could have his base down here for all we know. Right now stand on guard and…there might be a few surprises as well," he said ominously.

How true that statement was and everyone looked at him as if he grew a second head. He growled inwardly why was it that a sorcerer of the 777th degree had to get himself into every major mess he could get himself into.

He was no better than Benjamin Gates, and he thought for a second, they had to be far off relatives somehow if appearance wasn't enough to satisfy that thought.

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Horvath and Harvey's side of the vault

_Horvath's POV_

The two of them looked onward when the next clue finally appeared

_Born into a family of wealth, but found friendship in a commoner_

Damn it.

Harvey looked at him and he knew the story,

"Balthazar Blake," Harvey said confidently.

It didn't budge and Harvey repeated the answer and looked at him.

"That's the correct answer right you were friends with Balthazar Blake, or used to be and he was a…" he said and Maxim snapped back.

"Yes of course you don't have to repeat all that! The vault wants the answer from me you idiot!" he said to Harvey who looked at him.

"Then why don't you say it? Then we can get to the next clue," he said but the problem was that clue brought memories of the first time he had met Balthazar when he came to the keep. _He_ had come last and younger than he. He had shown up in clothes that were not as high in style as his and always had a scraggily look to him.

Truth is he did have a consciousness and despite his best efforts…was not a good liar. He had been a Merlinian…but he been a Morganian longer and he was under no circumstance going to let a Merlinian win, especially to the man who stole the love of his life.

She chose him, and everything from there went downhill.

"Balthazar Blake," he said angrily and the vault groaned.

But the image in his mind of the young blonde and he racing their horses through the countryside never left his mind. He had been a much better racer when it came to horses, but Balthazar was cunning and had improved over time.

He needed to focus on the mission ahead and that was to finally grab the Excalibur sword as the dialed turned.

The next few questions came and went and they were on the final two.

So they waited for the words to make themselves known.

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Treasure Hunter's side of the vault

_Dave's POV_

The next few questions dealt with history considering it was Ben, Patrick, and Abigail's questions. What surprised him was neither Riley nor Balthazar had their questions yet. It made sense in the end to be honest considering the vault was set up by Riley's father and his son and good friend must have been priorities to him besides his wife. They waited as the second to the last clue came.

Balthazar looked very nervous and he wasn't sure why.

_April 30, 1999_

Everyone was puzzled by that date, but Balthazar stiffened. Something must have happened. He thought back to that date because, at least for him, it was a good day…at first he tried to black out the rest.

He was in the city, at Central Park with his mother and having some ice cream. Tank was with them in the park. He remembers walking with his mom and passing people on the benches and then…

That's right something strange happened, not like the _Arcana Cabana_ incident but there was a man running through the park at breakneck speed and he wasn't a jogger. The man didn't look where he was going and his mom almost cussed him out, except she had her son with him, and the man didn't even say sorry he had a…

Black leather trench if he remembered correctly.

Wait. Was he trying to imagine that he saw Balthazar before the _Arcana Cabana_ incident? Now he wondered if it was him and Balthazar was running that maybe this date explained the reason why. Then he remembered the other part of the day, the day he wanted to forget. His sister was with them waiting by the large fountain in the park with her drawing pad …or that was before she was murdered. They heard screams after the man left and his mom being curious wanted to see what was going on.

His mother saw his sister lying near the fountain curled up and dead. His mom went into hysterics and asked what happened, everyone around said they didn't know what happened one minute everything was fine the next there was a girl's dead body…as in…

No.

No.

He was not going there, there had to be another explanation. He had told his master that he had a sister till she died on April 30, 1999. He didn't say much, either to leave him to his own grief or whatever.

"Stephanie" Balthazar said simply and there was a large groan heard from the vault.

Everyone looked at him and Dave blanched. This was something that, despite the company they were in he wanted answers. Now. He could feel his body go rigid and all the old pain swelling inside of him seeing his sister's lifeless body in his nine year old eyes. It was a miracle that over a year that he moved on, really it was.

"Balthazar…" he said and everyone looked between the two of them and Balthazar looked haggard and guilty. Like he wasn't proud that he had to say that.

"She was possessed Dave, I didn't know at the time, but I had an enemy who could possess people. Dave when you told me what happened that day I had no idea who she was till you told me that your sister died on that exact day and that you left her at the water fountain so she could draw. During the duration you were gone, my enemy somehow knowing something I didn't, had said to me that she was going to kill the girl's brother. I couldn't get my enemy out of her Dave, as hard as I could, so I did the only thing I could. I regretted it because I killed an innocent girl, but my enemy didn't live. I know now Dave if I hadn't killed her you probably wouldn't be alive. You would never have known till she decided to make her mark on you. Dave I know you are angry with me, but right now, just for this moment can we please focus on the business at hand,"

Everyone there was shocked with the proclamation Balthazar gave.

How did you go about your day with not only two evil sorcerers, but with a man you supposedly trusted and had told him about the incident awhile back and never said a word about his involvement. Screw the fact his sister was possessed, she was killed and nobody told his mother or father the wiser. They had moved out of the city because of that incident.

The police put it as unsolvable, a cold case. No leads, no reason, something random and unusual. There was a nasty purple scar on her forearm though, but that still didn't help out who had killed his innocent sister.

Dave was in rage, his older sister he cared for a lot, looked up to died by the hands of someone who not only saved his life numerous times, but he trusted…and now? Could he be trusted anymore?

Especially since this topic had been covered, even so slightly, earlier.

He saw the rest of the party looking at him and their eyes narrowed at Balthazar except for Veronica who looked at her husband with wide eyes knowing this was something that genuinely troubled him.

The thing is, as angry as he was; there was something very important etching itself onto the vault.

_Secrets were revealed, but one has another secret and it is time for him to show it_

Dave wasn't sure what he would do after today and that he had enough of secrets for a lifetime that is for sure.

He wasn't kidding when he wanted Balthazar to tell him the truth, and always. Now he wasn't so sure anymore.

But some part of him had to think about Horvath and Harvey, then he would deal with Balthazar later.

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Horvath and Harvey's side of the vault

_Harvey's POV_

The second to last question was answered and now the final question etched itself onto the vault.

_The last question is upon you and secrets have been revealed but for one in this room as much as he denies it must come in terms with what he refuses. To say what he refuses the vault will be open._

Harvey quirked an eyebrow,

"How cryptic can this get? I mean this seems so wishy-washy. I mean everyone has secrets. I mean look at me I refuse to believe we are going to lose, and that my _family_ turned away from me when I told them who I was going to become. They always liked my brother better, he was better for the family name, and me well I just changed by name. I mean it's not like I was going to have my goody two shoes brother get all the attention and I Harvey Opoel was going to be left out on the porch. I refuse to believe that I am related to Daniel Opoel," Harvey sad rather crossly.

The groan was heard and Maxim eyes widened at Harvey's assertion.

"Wait! You're Daniel Opoel's brother, which means the sword…" he looked as the door opened to the vault and he flashed a feral smile.

"That I can take the sword because it's a family thing," and entered the vault only to find…

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Treasure Hunter's side of the vault

The room was in fact so tense that not even a knife would be able to cut through it. Dave was in shock, anger was evident, and the whole new twist was added to an already stressful situation.

On one side there was Dave, Becky, Abigail, Patrick, and Emily who were on Dave's side and not sure if they could trust Balthazar any more.

Veronica, knowing Balthazar the longest, stood by him knowing what he had done was horrible, but the only option of what he said if it was true. And she believed him knowing he couldn't lie very well.

Ben and Riley however were mixed seeing as Riley had heard from his father about Balthazar, indirectly, and knew how many times he helped his father out (without telling a whole lot of details) but to hear he killed a young girl because she was possessed. If there was no other way than maybe it was for the best, seeing as the enemy of Balthazar's must have known Dave was going to be the Prime or whatever and that if she lived Dave would die, and who knew where the world would be then?

The other thing was that there was another clue already written and it seemed that since Balthazar's confession that things were going from tense to…a whole another level.

It didn't help that there was a large exploding sound and in came guards with the FBI badges on them.

A man with grey white hair came in to look at the party.

If Ben, Riley, Ian, Patrick, and Emily were surprised they became even more surprised when he turned his head to Balthazar.

"So how did you get involved with them?"

There was a deafening silence.

But Riley went to the vault and wrote with his finger on the smooth door,

_I had an uncle I didn't know because my father told me he was dead_

_I think the uncle I have is Harvey_

The last groan was heard and everyone looked at Riley and the doors open to reveal…

The faces of Maxim Horvath and Harvey.

That was when the firefight began as the FBI officers went after Ian, who struggled, but when Harvey shot a plasma bolt at Balthazar and Veronica tried to help him. Dave, even battling his anger at Balthazar, knew that Harvey was a killer and fired a plasma bolt at Harvey. Maxim Horvath might not have his magic but was trying to find the sword in the vault somewhere.

It was when Riley and Harvey were in the vault together, with no one else, that the sword appeared out of midair seeing as it was magic that it was protected by.

Everything seemed to go in bullet time, where the movements slowed down to the slowest second. It was in this time that Harvey had a wide smile on his face and picked up the sword faster than Riley and without hesitation aimed the sword for the computer nerd's chest…

There was a chorus of "NO!" from Ben and there was a shot as Riley clutched his side.

Red blood was dripping from Riley's form and he fainted, but a pool of blood was seen from Harvey's stomach as across the room as one Ian Howe took a gun from the FBI to shoot Harvey.

Everyone looked at him with wide eyes at the scene before him and all he had to say for himself,

"What? I was supposed to kill him when I had the chance," but no one listened to him as Ben and Abigail raced towards Riley and despite what he had heard earlier it seemed that Balthazar and Dave were going to work together.

Ben kneeled beside Riley.

"Riley can you hear me," not a sound was made nor a movement by the computer nerd counterpart.

_Twists! I love twists you must see that don't you? Anyways, there will be an epilogue up sometime soon I just felt in the mood to try and get this story done._

_Also, regarding Agent Sadusky and Balthazar knowing each other there a story called "The Good Guys" which explains that…but the ending of that one shot is AU of this story. _


	23. Epilogue

_Hello again! I decided I would just finish the story and get it done with so I can move on. As always I do not own National Treasure or The Sorcerer's Apprentice Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer do!_

_Epilogue_

_Three Days later…_

_Ben Gate's POV_

"I don't understand how your friend survived Mr. Gates, he lost a lot of blood, but within a few days in the ICU he was back to normal. He is quite a fast healer I have to say, but I am pleased to tell you that Riley Poole will make a full recovery. Though he should learn to be more careful with knives. Seriously, what was he doing with a full blown knife to cut an apple and somehow it nicked his stomach right after sharpening. He needs to be more careful…though I am a little worried at the angle it seems like the cut would be more from a sword of some kind but I trust what you say is the truth," the doctor as the hospital said.

Benjamin Gates looked on as his friend was sleeping, and was bandaged around his chest. That had been the closest call in recorded history seeing as he was sure that Riley Poole had died on him. He was in shock as well as losing a lot of blood. Three days ago it felt like the world stood still as he saw Riley's lifeless body.

But he was a fighter and had recovered, he was only tired now. After the fight the sword, as soon as it touched Riley's skin had shattered and disappeared. No one knew what happened or why that was the result.

Ben, Abigail, and his family were worried about Riley and Agent Sadusky called the medics and had gotten him to the ER. They were not going to go down without a fight, hell with everything else going on.

The rest of the party?

Well besides finding out Agent Sadusky knowing about Balthazar Blake, the rest of the federal agents had memory wipes to forget the events of the night and had captured "Ian Howe" unbelievably Maxim Horvath was taken into custody for the conspiracy of Riley's supposed murder and freeing Ian Howe, even if that wasn't true. It seemed that Agent Sadusky was familiar with a little more than that and taken him into the FBI's custody. From what he knew who was going to believe a criminal and his crazy stories, all powerful sorcerer? People would laugh.

The rest of them, he wasn't so sure seeing as what he heard from Balthazar about his apprentice.

Right now he was just glad his friend was alive and that Abigail, his mother, and his father came out alive from this ordeal.

He wasn't so sure for the second half after what Balthazar had told them.

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_Balthazar's POV_

Since that night Dave hadn't called after the situation at the Chrysler building was taken care of. Balthazar even tried to call Becky and she wasn't answering as well. He had checked on Riley and even though most of the group wasn't happy with him, he just wanted to make sure he was okay and it didn't surprise him that Riley would make it through. Daniel had been resilient enough, but what he wondered was what was the final answer to the clue and why did the sword appear when both Riley and Harvey were in the vault at the same time?

More questions that he didn't want to deal with right now.

He needed to focus on his apprentice who was giving him the cold shoulder and the silent treatment.

Truth is he felt horrible about that event, even now in the present. But what choice did he have? Have his enemy, an evil spirit of one of the most evil Morganians besides the ones he captured in the grimhold who wanted to kill a young boy? It didn't seem right, but now knowing what he knew, he didn't regret it.

Dave though, well he couldn't blame him. He knew his sister was murdered by him and he was half surprised Dave didn't retaliate when hearing the news out of pain and anger. He was fairly tired three nights ago with all the fighting and was pretty sure an enraged Dave with all of Merlin's power behind him wouldn't have turned out well for him.

No, not at all, but he was fairly sure that, if anything, Dave did have a consciousness despite agony from past wounds that were violently opened.

He did hear from Abigail they attended her lecture and Mr. Gates lecture that morning and they were going to leave once Riley could leave the hospital.

Seeing Agent Sadusky surprised him, but had briefed him on what occurred and of course would write the report in a way that the bureau would believe.

Maxim going to prison? He snorted, but a part of him thought this was better. Balthazar still had his ex-friend's cane so he wasn't dangerous and he knew that, even for all the ill he had caused him never wanted to see him dead. Horvath wasn't too happy and was wasting his energy by telling him who he was (after the mind wipe) and all of them though he was nuts. There was enough evidence against him to hold up in the courts regarding Harvey and being in league with him.

Harvey, was cold dead and Ian, wasn't charged with murder. He still had to get back to prison, but it was said that there was a possible early parole for his actions that night. Nothing was set in stone.

But with Dave?

He had the fear that Dave wouldn't want to continue his training, but after the past few days he knew that Dave was a master in his own right.

He just needed to work on control.

He had a phone call on his cell phone but the number was unfamiliar he picked it up and said hesitantly,

"Hello?" he queried.

"Is this Balthazar Blake?" a cold female voice said, it was older, probably in the mid fifties and had a slight nasal inclination to it.

"Yes…" he was on guard with who he was contacting.

"I won't dispense with pleasantries with you Mr. Blake but I was informed by my son that you murdered my daughter Stephanie Amelia Stutler," the elder female's voice bit out, but wasn't as icy but more guarded.

He was surprised that his apprentice went to his mother to this, but he understood why he did. She did have a right to know.

"Look…" he wasn't sure why he was going to try and explain himself.

"You _should_ be locked up for your crimes and I am under no circumstance on good terms with you, however….my son has told me some information that I am not sure what to do with. All I know is that you got him out of some pretty perilous situations and that he saved your life. I don't know exactly how I came to this decision, but my son and I had talked for a good period of time and well…yes I was going to get to that dear…he forgives you understanding that whatever…took hold of my daughter and his sister….had to be stopped. I'm not happy, but if it was the best and only option for the safety of my children…at that point…then I shouldn't push to see you in prison. I do however have some questions to ask you regarding what you want to happen from here regarding my son's status and everything?" she said to him in a business manner, but at some points could hear that she was a little unsure and to the close was confidant.

Veronica looked at him with a questioning glance and he just put his finger on his lips for her to be quiet right now,

"Mrs. Stutler, I understand and I am thankful for your clemency, regarding your son…it's up to him with what he wants to do at this point," he said knowing that if he wanted to end everything he wouldn't blame him. He really wouldn't be surprised if Dave showed up with the dragon ring the next day…not that he needed it anymore.

There was a shuffling of noise in the background and mumbling.

"Hey"

It was Dave's voice.

"So, I'm guessing you're home right now?" he said quietly. Why was he making small talk? He sat down on a bench in the _Arcana Cabana._

"I really should not have let my temper rise and run off like that…but I think you understand that it hit me hard, especially since we did talk about this a month and a half ago and you didn't tell me anything except that you were sorry for my loss…and I know you are. If it is what you had to do, then you did what was best. I still trust you and regarding training…" Balthazar waited.

"As long as you feel I need it, and I wanted to ask considering everything how is Riley doing?" he felt like a load of weight was off his shoulders considering that Dave wasn't angry with him and had, at least for the time, forgiven him for what happened.

But he wouldn't blame his apprentice if he still held the death of his sister over him, but now that his mother knew what her son was. He wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing, good so his son could be more open as to why he was always busy instead of giving her half-lame excuses saying he was busy with school and his girlfriend, which were not lies by the way.

"He's going to make a full recovery," he said with a small smile and he heard a sigh being released.

"That's good I was worried there for a moment, so Horvath's in prison? Somehow I can't picture that," Dave was back to his normally nasal self. He was relieved to say the least. Particularly considering it had only been a few days. But maybe everything they had been through was a lot more than most people his age should go through, in this day and age anyways.

"I told my mom about everything, and I mean everything…I know civilians had to keep out of it…but with everything and stuff…I couldn't keep who killed Steph…and I hope you understand. She's not happy, but she does forgive you seeing as I explained what you told me. Trust me when I told her she took it a lot better than I thought she would. I hope…at least in my case Balthazar that we still stand where we were before this whole mess happened?" Dave said to him and there were parts he was having a hard time battling what he wanted but also how he felt.

"I understand Dave, and for the record, why don't we take the rest of the days off make sure the Gates are good…and maybe, if your mother is willing, to have lunch…that way I can answer any additional questions she might have…though I would understand if she would never want to see me considering everything and all," he added quickly knowing how bitter Dave's mother's voice had been.

He heard a silence and held his breath.

"My mom's only concern to make sure wherever we go there's no pork, she's not a fan and…she does have some questions that I don't really think I can answer. Also this has been bothering me but why did the sword destroy itself?" Dave said.

He didn't know why the sword had destroyed itself when Harvey and Riley were in the vault together and they both touched the sword, but he had a guess that Daniel Opoel's friend Elizabeth could foresee this day and Daniel knowing the clash of his family was the only way to destroy the sword for once and for all seeing as it was a relic of the past and wasn't needed. The magic of both parts touching his brother and son destroyed the sword and the black book along with it.

Therefore there wouldn't be a need to worry about any more treasure maps concerning him and Dave, he wasn't so sure about the Gates but from he has heard about them that there will be no stopping the treasure hunting party.

There's something to be said about treasure and sorcerers….both not believed, and yet here they are.

.

.

.

.

That night he walked into Riley's room at the hospital and saw him awake. He had an eye open.

"I guess you got everything solved with Dave?" he said and he nodded and sat down in the comfy chair next to Riley's cot and laced his fingers together.

"So what now?" Riley queried knowing what he knew know and what his friends knew.

Balthazar shrugged his shoulders,

"Well the sword is destroyed meaning you don't have to protect it and that you don't have the gift, which means you don't need to worry about harnessing it. As far as I can see you can go back to DC, but you have to promise me everything you heard has to be kept a secret," Balthazar said to Riley who looked at him with a confused look.

"I don't think anyone would believe me even if I told them Balthazar, and…well there is one thing I want to ask…once I am better if maybe you, Veronica, Dave, and Becky willing if you come down to DC sometime and…if I could take a spin in that Phantom of yours," Riley grinned.

He just shook his head with an amused grin with all the events that transpired to hear something like that? Well, maybe this kid was an Opoel knowing his father, Daniel had asked him many times for that privilege.

"Even your father never got that pleasure and I think he would be pouting in his grave when I tell you _maybe_," Riley just looked like he scored a date with a good looking woman, but it was a car instead. Balthazar said his goodbyes to the computer nerd-turned treasure hunter-now son of sorcerer and left the hospital behind.

Balthazar walked out of the hospital thinking inwardly about everything that has happened knowing that he would keep up on that promise. He felt relieved to have a few of his secrets revealed. He was rather lucky that Dave had forgiven him, he was fairly sure if that ever got out he wouldn't look at him the same way. What is to say that he won't? He needed to keep his head clear there was not time for what ifs. He just focused on some other things he might need to divulge.

But some of them, including an archeologist and pirate, were better left in the dark and left for another time.

_Any guess as to which pirate and archeologist? Cookies will be given if you can guess and I hope you guys liked the story. I worked extremely hard to make this a good, believable, interesting, and not too predictable story. I hope I succeeded. Please don't forget to review! Also, I am sorry this took forever to finish. You want to hear something funny? I wanted to get this story done back in January! That's right at the beginning of the year, but of course school, beta problems, and reality got in the way. But I am finished, finally! As I said I would! Hope it was worth it…_


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